Video circulating on social media appears to show a U-Haul truck driving through a crowd at an Iran pro-regime change rally in California, as people scream and run alongside it.
Law enforcement at the scene stopped the truck and pulled a man from the U-Haul, appearing to take him into custody, according to KABC.
Why It Matters
Anti-government protests have spread across Iran, marking the most significant challenge to the Ayatollah’s rule since demonstrations in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini.
The latest wave has unfolded over the past two weeks. The Associated Press reported that the death toll has risen to at least 72, with more than 2,300 people detained, citing the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Iranian authorities have moved to suppress demonstrations that began amid worsening economic conditions and a currency that has been sliding as inflation accelerates.
The U.S., which has had a strained and distrustful relationship with Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, has become more vocal in recent days. Last week, President Donald Trump expressed support for protesters and warned Iran that the U.S. is “locked and loaded and ready to go.”
What To Know
Hundreds of people gathered in Westwood to show support for Iranian protesters amid a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Shortly after 4 p.m. local time, video surfaced on social media showing the truck moving through the crowd. The footage shows a sign on the side of the vehicle reading: “No Shah. No Regime. USA: Don’t repeat 1953. No Mullah.”
The reference to 1953 points to the U.S.-backed coup in which the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ousted Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Muhammad Mossadegh. “Mullah” is an honorific title for Muslim clergy and mosque imams, widely used across West and South Asia.
Additional video appears to show members of the crowd stopping the truck and damaging it, including smashing windows and attempting to reach the driver. Police intervened and worked to hold the crowd back while pulling the driver—who has not been identified—out of the truck and apprehending him. In one clip, protesters can be seen tearing down the signs attached to the vehicle.
LAPD evaluated two people at the scene who declined medical treatment. No ambulances were called to the protest, according to ABC 7.
