TEHRAN — Iranian students and rights activists gathered outside the Swiss embassy in Tehran on Wednesday to express solidarity with African Americans over the shocking killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white police.

Demonstrators held placards that read “No to racism” and “I can’t breathe”. They also held candle-lit vigil for the victims of U.S. police brutality, Press TV reported on Wednesday.

They also chanted anti-racism slogans while holding pictures depicting the U.S. police brutality against demonstrators.

In the crowd, there were also non-Iranian students who used the chance to condemn racism.

Demonstrations in Tehran came against the backdrop of days of angry protests across the U.S., with people setting police cars ablaze and clashing with police.

In Tehran, students believe racism in America is systemic and is yet to take a break.

U.S. police has a long track record of unpunished violence against black people. According to a study conducted in 2019 and published on LA-times website, about 1 in 1,000 black men and boys in the U.S. can expect to die at the hands of police. That makes them 2.5 times more likely than white men and boys to die during an encounter with cops.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has strongly denounced rampant bloodshed of African-Americans in the United States and the country’s suppression of the protests that have engulfed the U.S. in the aftermath of Floyd’s death.

“Iran regrets the tragic murder of black Americans, denounces deadly racial profiling in the United States & urges authorities to do justice for every case,” the ministry said in a tweet on Friday.

Since the heart-wrenching murder, protests have been held in hundreds of U.S. cities and National Guard troops have been deployed in at least 23 states to handle the protests.

Thousands of people have also rallied in different cities across the world in solidarity with anti-racism protests in the U.S.

Demonstrators from Australia to Europe have identified with the cause of the U.S. protests and urged their own governments to stand up to racism and police violence.

The European Union said it was “shocked and appalled” by the death of Floyd in police custody, calling it “an abuse of power” and warning against further excessive use of force.

“Like the people of the United States, we are shocked and appalled by the death of George Floyd ... all societies must remain vigilant against the excessive use of force,” Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, told reporters.

The Pope has also issued a call for racism not to be ignored.

“We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism,” he said. But he also condemned the violence: “Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost.”

MH/PA