‘After us, it’s your turn’: Iranian patriots warn Canada against repeating their homeland’s mistakes
Freedom-seeking Iranians vastly outnumbered supporters of the Islamic Republic outside the U.S. Consulate, delivering a powerful warning to Canadians against repeating the mistakes of their homeland.
On November 7, supporters of the Islamic Republic gathered outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto for a “No War” rally, only to be met by a massive counter-demonstration of freedom-seeking Iranians and their Canadian allies.
While just a few dozen demonstrators gathered on the pro-regime side, a much larger crowd of supporters of a free Iran filled the opposite side of the street, waving Canadian, American, Israeli and Lion and Sun flags.
The counter-demonstrators rejected the “No War” message, arguing that the fight is not against the Iranian people, but against the Islamic Republic that has occupied their homeland for nearly five decades.
They expressed overwhelming support for Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former Shah, while warning Canadians about the dangers of allowing the same extremist ideologies they fled to gain a foothold in their adopted country.
One Iranian man, who arrived in Canada as a refugee 38 years ago, proudly waved the Canadian flag. “I always feel this is my home. I’m proud of Canada,” he said.
Others expressed fears that the freedoms they sought in Canada are increasingly under threat.
“We left Iran. Millions of us left Iran because of the extremists. Now they’re hunting us here,” one demonstrator warned. “If you lose freedom here, where else can we go?”
Another Iranian issued a warning to Canadians about the dangers of radical Islam and communism, urging them to protect their country before it is too late.
The demonstration coincided with a significant moment for the Iranian freedom movement.
That same day, Reza Pahlavi accepted the 2026 Freedom Prize from Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation on behalf of the Iranian people at Frankfurt’s historic St. Paul’s Church.
Pahlavi accepted the award as a temporary custodian, pledging to eventually deliver it to a freely elected government in Tehran.
Meanwhile, counter-demonstrators questioned why supporters of a regime responsible for widespread repression and bloodshed were permitted to openly promote its interests on Canadian soil.
Several also raised concerns about the presence of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives in Canada, calling for their removal.
The message from Toronto’s freedom-seeking Iranians is clear: they fled tyranny once, and they have no intention of watching it take root in Canada.
Please sign the petition to show that Canadians stand with the Iranian people!
Scarlett Grace
Anti-Discrimination Reporter
Scarlett Grace is a Canadian journalist and musician from Peterborough, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Trent University and has spent over a decade performing live and releasing original music.
In 2022, her involvement in Canada’s freedom movement marked a turning point in her career and public voice. She later joined Rebel News, where she works as an anti-discrimination journalist, reporting extensively on the rise of antisemitism in Canada and the Iranian uprising.
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