Lots of misinformation about what happened today at the Marble Arch Arbaeen Match, so I thought a thread may be useful:
The procession scheduled for Marble Arch was the annual #Arbaeen March organised by local Shia communities to commemorate the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Husayn (ع), the grandson of Muhammad (ص). For info on the historical context, see whoishussain.org
These groups are from all ethnic backgrounds in London - IndoPak, Arab, Persian, African, all to commemorate their revered religious figures.
As the procession was coming to a close, a protest for individuals coming from Hyde Park was merging into Marble Arch. A large group, they held flags of the Imperial State of Iran, pictures of the late Mahsa Amiri, and (reports of) MEK flags.
As these two groups collided, the latter started to call the former "terrorists", whilst shouting "marg bar Khamenei/dictator" (death to Khamenei/dictator) towards the Shias in Marble Arch, who largely shouted "labbayk ya Hussain" (long live Hussain) in return.
At this point, riot police were called out. Skirmishes occured as the Iranian protesters moved down Edgware Road towards (what I assume to be) the Iranian Embassy.
For individuals unable to identify the difference between the two groups in videos on social media, for the most part the Shia would be wearing black and waving flags with Arabic inscriptions commemorating Hussain ع.
I understand emotions on the situation in Iran are most definitely running high, but attacking Shia commemorating a decades old peaceful tradition is not the way to get people on your side.
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