At Toronto Vigil Marking 5th Anniversary Of Soleimani's Assassination, Protesters Burn U.S., Israel, Marine Corps Flags, Chant: Down, Down Trump! Death To America! Death To Israel!

In a January 3, 2025 vigil marking the 5th anniversary of the assassination of IRGC Qods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani and PMU deputy leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, protesters gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Toronto. During the event, participants burned flags of Israel, the United States, and the U.S. Marine Corps, chanting slogans such as “Death to America! Death to Israel!” and “Down, down, Trump!” Canadian activist Firas Al-Najim of Canadian Defenders 4 Human Rights (CD4HR) stated that Khamenei had promised greater revenge for the killing of Soleimani by U.S. forces in 2020, beyond the strike on the Ayn Al-Assad airbase in Iraq. An English-speaking activist, introduced as Sister Mahdiya, commented that Soleimani’s assassin is preparing to reclaim power, prompting Al-Najim to lead the crowd in chanting “Down, down Trump.” A female activist, speaking in Persian, offered her life as a sacrifice for Khamenei. As Al-Najim burned the Israeli flag, he chanted: “Death to Israel! Curses upon the Zionists! Victory to Islam!” He then led chants in support of Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi and his Ansar Allah militia. He also praised assassinated Hamas and Hizbullah leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, and Hashem Safieddine.

For more about Firas Al-Najim and CD4HR, see MEMRITV clips nos. 8586, 9279, 9286, 10033, and 11371.

Source: Online Platforms - "Canadian Defenders 4 Human Rights (CD4HR) on X"

Protestor 1: "This is the fifth year anniversary of the great commanders and martyrs General Qasem Soleimani and General Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.

[...]

"Imam Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, that I am holding up his beautiful picture, he said once they hit the Ayn Al-Assad base in Iraq – that was just a slap to the  U.S. state. That was only a slap and there is something bigger that is coming, and it will be at the right time and the right place, as revenge, and justice [will be done] for Qasem Soleimani and this great man Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.

[...]

"We heed your call, oh martyr!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh martyr!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Soleimani!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Soleimani!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Nasrallah!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Nasrallah!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Yahya Sinwar!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Yahya Sinwar!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Ismail Haniyeh!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Ismail Haniyeh!"

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Safieddine!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Safieddine!"

[...]

Protestor 2: "I thank you God Almighty that after Your true messenger Khomeini, You paved the way for another messenger of Yours that is pure in and its source of wisdom, Islam, and Shiite faith, the current Leader of the Islamic Iran, and the Islamic world, dear Khamenei, for whom I offer my life as a sacrifice."

[...]

Protestor 3: "Soleimani was a man who brought stability and peace to a region drowning in chaos.

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"And now as his assassin prepares to reclaim power, we must remember that their actions were not just an attack on Soleimani.

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"Today, we are all Soleimanis."

Crowd Member: "We are all Soleimani!"

Crowd: "We are all Soleimani!"

[...]

Protestor 1: "Down, down Trump!"

Crowd: "Down, down Trump!"

[...]

Protestor 4: "Death to Israel!"

Crowd: "Death to Israel!"

Protestor 4: "Death to Israel!"

Crowd: "Death to Israel!"

Protestor 4: "Curses upon the Zionists!"

Crowd: "Curses upon the Zionists!"

Protestor 4: "Victory to Islam!"

[...]

Protestor 1: "We heed your call, oh Abdul Malk Al-Houthi. We heed your call, oh Ansar Allah!"

Crowd: "We heed your call, oh Ansar Allah!"

[...]

Protestor 1: "Death to America! Down, down USA! Down, down America!"