As anger and protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police rage in Iran, a new form of contempt has begun in the country.
‘Ammama-parani’ or Turban flinging is the latest act in Iran in which rebel youngsters hit and throw mullahs’ (Shia clerics) ammama (turban) in revenge for years of being suppressed under an Islamic theocracy. A series of clips have been circulating on social media which show this unique form of protest.
Taking to Twitter, Iranian journalist Masih Alinejab has shared several of these clips on her handle. ‘The young Iranians have started a new social media challenge! Let’s remove the turban. I have spoken with many of them they say that the Mullahs in Iran think that they are untouchable and they killing our classmates every day, this is how we can show oranger. #MahsaAmini’, one of her post’s caption read.
In another clip, a girl can be seen sneakily running behind a clerk who was walking down an empty street and then knocked his turban off. The cleric then can be seen picking up his turban off the ground while the girl ran from the scene without turning back.
Iran has been witnessing massive protests, chants of death to the dictator, women cutting their hair while burning their headscarves and demonstrations as the government failed to contain protests demanding justice for Mahsa Amini. The deaths of protesters at the hands of Iranian authorities have only furthered increased public resentment towards Iran’s government. Hundreds of people have been reportedly killed by Iranian security forces during these protests. Despite strict punishments and several deaths, the protests in the country go unabated. Several social media posts show young girls destroying the pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the late founder of the 1979 Islamic revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and burning their veils.
Iran officials have accused several nations including the United States of instigating the unrest and blamed armed separatists for perpetrating violence.
