Feb 19 • 09:08 UTC 🇮🇹 Italy La Repubblica

Iran, the protest of empty desks in schools to remember students killed in the repression

Teachers and students across Iran staged protests by leaving desks empty in schools to honor those killed during the recent repressions.

In a poignant tribute to the students who lost their lives due to the crackdown in Iran, teachers and students across various provinces engaged in a silent protest by leaving classrooms empty. An educator in Tehran used poetry to express the heartbreaking sentiment, emphasizing the idea that even the doors of cemeteries have been shut to silence the memory of the fallen students. Her words captured a profound grief: the remembrance of a student whose last lesson was written in blood cannot be erased from the annals of history.

The principal of a school in Lavasan highlighted the challenges of voicing their dissent without endangering the students. He announced the school's closure discreetly, hoping to inform others of their stand without putting anyone at risk, saying, "We are here." This sentiment resonated across the country, as students from various regions—including Alborz, Gilan, and Sanandaj—sent messages confirming their solidarity and their participation in the nationwide school closures as a form of protest against the government's actions.

This movement of empty desks reflects a significant moment of resistance within Iran's educational system, uniting students, teachers, and communities in mourning and defiance against oppression. As the protests spread throughout the country, the act serves not only as a tribute to the deceased but also a call for change and recognition of the struggles faced by the youth in Iran's current social and political climate.

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