Toronto March Erupts in Violence as Participants Declare Allegiance to Iran's Supreme Leader

An assault on Iranian dissident Salman Sima at Toronto Ashura March sparks outcry over IRGC influence, police inaction, and the spread of Iranian revolutionary ideology abroad

Credit: @DanielBordmanOG on X

A march in Toronto, Canada on July 06 marking the Muslim holiday of Ashura, a day meant for solemn remembrance, was overshadowed by violence and controversy when Iranian dissident Salman Sima—himself a survivor of imprisonment and torture in Tehran—was assaulted while protesting.

As marchers loudly proclaimed their allegiance to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s founding leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, Sima stood with a sign reading “Kick IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Terrorists out of Canada,” featuring images of Kian Pirfalak and Khodanoor Lajaei, both victims of Iranian state violence. In a scene caught on camera (see video below), marchers tore his sign and flag from his hands, while Toronto police stood by and did not appear to make any arrests.

The incident underscored how Khomeini’s radical transformation of Ashura from a day of mourning into a revolutionary call to action has echoed far beyond Iran—fueling not only political mobilization but also concerns over sleeper cell activity and the export of Iran’s revolutionary ideology to the West.

What Happened at the March

Salman Sima, a prominent Iranian-Canadian activist and former political prisoner, attended the Ashura March to protest what he sees as the event’s politicization by IRGC supporters. Throughout the procession, many marchers could be heard chanting slogans and openly declaring their loyalty to Khomeini, the architect of Iran’s 1979 revolution.

Sima’s sign, which called for the removal of IRGC operatives from Canada and displayed the faces of Kian Pirfalak—a nine-year-old boy killed during the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran—and Khodanoor Lajaei—a young Baloch man tortured and killed by Iranian authorities—was violently ripped apart by some participants. His flag, symbolizing resistance to the Islamic regime, was also seized.

Video footage shows Sima being physically assaulted as marchers, emboldened by their collective chants for Khomeini and the revolutionary cause, tore his protest materials. Despite the clear escalation and the presence of law enforcement, police did not appear intervene or make arrests.

Credit @DanielBordmanOG on X

The Faces of Resistance: Kian Pirfalak and Khodanoor Lajaei

• Kian Pirfalak was a symbol of innocence lost in Iran’s brutal crackdown on dissent. The nine-year-old was shot dead in November 2022 during protests in Izeh, Iran. While authorities blamed “terrorists,” Kian’s family and independent observers have consistently held Iranian security forces responsible, highlighting the regime’s pattern of impunity and cover-up.

• Khodanoor Lajaei represented the persecuted Baloch minority. Lajaei, a 27-year-old dancer and activist, was arrested, tortured, and ultimately killed during the “Bloody Friday” massacre in Zahedan in October 2022. His image, hands tied to a flagpole, became an icon of resistance against state brutality and the systematic oppression of ethnic minorities in Iran.

Both names have become rallying cries for Iranians demanding justice and accountability, and their inclusion on Sima’s sign underscored the regime’s ongoing campaign of violence against its own people.

Credit: @march4hussain on Instagram

The Ashura March: From Mourning to Political Mobilization

Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, marks the death of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. This event is foundational to Shia Islam, symbolizing the struggle against tyranny and injustice. The battle’s aftermath led to the historic split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, shaping the sectarian landscape of the Muslim world.

Traditionally, it is a day of mourning and reflection for Shia Muslims, symbolizing the eternal struggle against tyranny and injustice. But in the decades since Iran’s 1979 revolution, the meaning of Ashura has been dramatically recast.

Khomeini Weaponizes Karbala

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini fundamentally transformed the traditional understanding of Karbala from a primarily spiritual narrative into a revolutionary call to action. During the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Khomeini extensively utilized Karbala symbols to generate mass revolutionary political consciousness against the Shah's regime.

Khomeini's most significant theological innovation was the concept of "active shahadat" (martyrdom) — the idea that "it was no longer sufficient for the faithful to remember and mourn the death of Imam Hussein; the true believer was now required to emulate his seventy-two companions at Karbala by seeking martyrdom." This radical reinterpretation transformed passive religious observance into active revolutionary participation.

Credit: @DanielBordmanOG on X

The IRGC’s Transnational Ambitions and the Threat in the West

In order to fulfill this goal, Khomeini established the IRGC as not merely a military force; it is the chief instrument of Iran’s expansionist ideology, tasked with exporting the revolution and supporting Shia militias worldwide. IRGC training emphasizes martyrdom, armed jihad, and extensive indoctrination in the beliefs of the Islamist revolution, including that the whole world should be one “caliphate” under this regime.

Recent arrests of Iranian nationals in the U.S.—including an IRGC member with admitted ties to Hezbollah and an Iranian military sniper—have heightened fears of Iranian sleeper cells operating in North America. Security experts warn that as Iran faces pressure abroad, the regime may activate operatives to carry out attacks, a scenario made more plausible by the open support for Ayatollah Khomeini and the Iranian regime as seen at events like the Toronto Ashura March.