‘Protect My Freedom!’ Demonstrators Cheer Biden As He Speaks Out For Women in Iran

Demonstrators cheered — and one yelled “Protect my freedom!” — as President Joe Biden spoke out for women in Iran who are leading a revolutionary opposition to that country’s extremist religious regime.

Protests in Iran have grown since the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed while in the custody of Iran’s “Morality Police” after she was arrested for improperly wearing a hijab.

At a speech in Irvine, California on Friday, President Biden noticed women in the crowd wearing “Free Iran” t-shirts, and spoke up about the protests:

But before I begin — before my discussion today, I know — I look over there, and I see “Free Iran.” (Applause.) And I want you to know we stand with the citizens and brave women of Iran, for real — for real — (applause) — who, right now, are demonstrating to secure their very basic, fundamental rights.

Women and men should have the right — the right to freedom of expression and assembly. And women — women all over the world are being persecuted in various ways. But they should be able to wear, in God’s name, what they want to wear. No one should be telling them what to wear. (Applause.)

And Iran has to end the violence against its own citizens simply exercising their fundamental rights. And, you know, Masha [Mahsa] Amini’s death was — I’ve been doing foreign policy a long, long time. It stunned me what it awakened in Iran. And it’s awakened something that I don’t think will be quieted in a long, long time.

And so, I want to thank you all for speaking out. I want to thank the Persian community here for being so vocal. And continue. It matters.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Protect my freedom! (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: That’s one thing you don’t have to tell me. (Laughter.) You met my wife? (Laughs.) I married up.

I was one of those guys that — my whole life, I’ve been surrounded by women who’ve taken care of me, maybe they’re smarter than I am.

Watch above via C-SPAN.