Two Iranian students are trying to bring awareness and gain support with a Free Iran protest happening Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Risman Plaza.

This protest is to gain support in order to demand human rights as a part of the protests happening in Iran.

The Free Iran protest is organized by Goli Kavoosi, freshman fashion major, and Ronika Marandi, freshman business and marketing major, who both grew up in Iran.

These women aim to draw support from Kent’s students and faculty, and they plan to give everyone the opportunity to use their voices because protesters in Iran cannot.

Kavoosi witnessed the brutality of the police toward protesters when she was still studying in Iran.

“Forces were invading us with tear gas, and they were shooting toward us which was stressful,” Kavoosi said. “And honestly, it was like living in a Hollywood movie.”

Regardless of borders, color, religion or ethnicity, people should help, uplift and support each other, Kavoosi said.

Marandi wants students to come prepared to use their voices in solidarity of those in Iran who have been silenced.

“For people outside of Iran, anything that would spread the word brings out their voices because there is so much censorship,” said Marandi. “You don’t have to be from Iran and you don’t have to know someone who is Iranian because this is a human rights issue, so if you believe in human rights, you should be supporting us.”

If you can not attend the protest there are other ways to demonstrate support for Iran.

Francesca Malinky is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].