![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/hashtags-a-viral-song-and-memes-empower-irans-protesters/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/127442465_676cd3da-26e2-404e-aa31-683225f0146f.jpg&description=Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration in Istanbul, TurkeyAnti-government protests have swept across Iran over the past six weeks, with women and schoolgirls at the forefront - burning their headscarves or swinging them in the air while shouting "Woman, Life, Freedom". The demonstrations were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab (headscarf) "inappropriately".While thousands of people have been taking to the streets to show their anger at the clerical establishment, many more both inside and outside Iran have been amplifying their calls on social media and spreading awareness.Getting a hashtag to trend on Twitter has been one of the main ways for Iranians to get their voices heard around the world. The hashtag #mahsaamini was tweeted and retweeted more than 250 million times in Persian and more than 50 million times in English in the first month after her death.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Social media has helped demonstrations to spread all around the world, such as here in north-eastern Syria"People [in Iran] are constantly told that opposition to the system doesn't exist or if it does it is little and will be crushed," says Iranian women's rights activist Negin Shiraghaei."Hashtags play an important role for people to find each other and recognise their power." In the age of leaderless movements, Ms Shiraghaei says, hashtags could play the role of leaders."What do people want from hashtags? Hope, guidance and information," she explains. "That is what the hashtag has done for protesters so far."But hashtags and Twitter storms are just some of the ways Iranians hear from each other and make the world take notice.The reaction of Iranian authorities towards the protests has often been violent.Norway-based Iran Human Rights has reported that at least 253 protesters have been kille){kind=link}
Anti-government protests have swept across Iran over the past six weeks, with women and schoolgirls at the forefront – burning their headscarves or swinging them in the air while shouting “Woman, Life, Freedom”.
The demonstrations were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab (headscarf) “inappropriately”.
While thousands of people have been taking to the streets to show their anger at the clerical establishment, many more both inside and outside Iran have been amplifying their calls on social media and spreading awareness.
Getting a hashtag to trend on Twitter has been one of the main ways for Iranians to get their voices heard around the world.
The hashtag #mahsaamini was tweeted and retweeted more than 250 million times in Persian and more than 50 million times in English in the first month after her death.