Grieving families, supporters rally in North Vancouver Flight PS752 memorial

Sunday marked a sombre day of remembrance for grieving relatives of the passengers of Flight PS752.

In North Vancouver, people gathered in the rain to commemorate the lives lost three years ago, marching down to the Shipyards and protesting the Islamic regime currently ruling Iran.

The Ukraine International Airlines plane was shot down by the Iranian government on Jan. 8, 2020, shortly after taking off from Tehran. Most of the 176 passengers were on their way to Canada via Ukraine, with 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents on board. Some of the victims were residents of the Vancouver area.

Arman Abtahi’s brother was one of the 176 people who lost their lives that day.

“We haven’t had any justice yet and that is painful and it never gets old,” Abtahi said.

Thirty-seven-year-old Mehran Abtahi was a civil engineer and post-doctoral fellow at UBC who was working on an environmental project in the Fraser River. He was in Iran to celebrate his first wedding anniversary.

“It’s been three years, but it’s the third anniversary and you hear people’s cries for freedom and justice in Iran and we want to join them. We want to be their voice,” Arman said.

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Members of the Association of Families of Flight PS752 were also in attendance Sunday.

Arman has found common ground alongside families going through similar pains, adding they are all victims of the Islamic regime and all looking for justice.

“These are the people who understand each other. We have a common goal and we have a common pain,” Arman said.

Protesters took over the block of Lonsdale and 21st to demand justice, holding posters and Iranian flags, ones without the Islamic symbol. The group stood in solidarity with Iranian protesters who were imprisoned or awaiting execution for fighting for freedom in Iran, a movement sparked when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the Iranian government.

(CityNews Image)

Protesters say they will continue to organize rallies until the Islamic regime falls. They also want to send a strong message to the Canadian government to put pressure on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“There are thousands of people who lost their loved ones- and we want to take the Islamic regime to the courts.”

In a tweet, North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan thanked the provincial government for committing $100,000 to build a memorial in the city.

I want to thank Premier @Dave_Eby and the government of British Columbia for committing $100,000 towards the memorial we are building in the @CityOfNorthVan honouring the victims of PS752 and the ongoing calls for freedom, justice, and autonomy in Iran. pic.twitter.com/xKaiaVbjsB

— Mayor Linda Buchanan (@LindaCBuchanan) January 9, 2023

Buchanan earlier announced Jan. 8 as a day of remembrance for the flight’s victims. Among those who lost their lives were North Vancouver residents Delaram Dadashnejad, Faye Kazerani, Firouzeh Madani, Fatemeh Pasavand, Ayeshe Pourghaderi, Naser Pourshabanoshibi, and Daniel Saket.

Arman says one never forgets nor forgives.

“This revolution and this fight is alive inside and outside of Iran.”