As protests continued in Iran over the accidental downing of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752, a video surfaced of demonstrators avoiding a portion of the road where someone had painted the American and Israeli flags.
https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1216328128177504256
After seeing the video, President Donald Trump tweeted his appreciation to the demonstrators for, mostly, avoiding the American flag.
“Wow! The wonderful Iranian protesters refused to step on, or in any way denigrate, our Great American Flag. It was put on the street in order for them to trample it, and they walked around it instead. Big progress!”‘
Wow! The wonderful Iranian protesters refused to step on, or in any way denigrate, our Great American Flag. It was put on the street in order for them to trample it, and they walked around it instead. Big progress!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2020
This new round of protests broke out after the government denied, then accepted responsibility for the crash of Flight 752 — which killed all 176 people on board including several Iranian citizens.
In a display of anger toward the government for shooting down the aircraft, protestors took to the street with chants of “Death to the dictator” as they called for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to step down.
A separate video showed a group of Iranians tearing down and ripping apart a poster of Khamenei.
Trump voiced his support of the protestors in several tweets over the weekend.
“To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I’ve stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage.”
To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020
Additionally, Trump warned Iran’s leaders against reacting harshly to the demonstrations saying, “the World is watching,” and urged the government to lift restrictions on reporters and restore internet access.
Trump’s tweet comes amid reports that the Iranian government has cut off access to the internet in some portions of the country.
Reports also said that Iranian security forces used teargas and live ammunition to disperse the crowds Tehran, but the city’s police chief denied that any shots were fired.
On Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he would introduce a resolution expressing the United States’ support of the protesters.
