Massive Canadian Protests in Support of Iranian Regime Change Draw Hundreds of Thousands
In two extraordinary displays of solidarity in recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have gathered across Canada to rally against the oppressive Islamist dictatorship of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. These massive protests, characterized by their peaceful nature, represent a significant show of support for the brutalized people of Iran seeking fundamental political change.
Unprecedented Scale and Peaceful Conduct
The most recent demonstration occurred on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in Toronto, where an estimated 350,000 protesters marched through the streets. This followed an earlier protest on February 1 that drew approximately 150,000 participants. What makes these gatherings particularly remarkable is not just their substantial numbers, but the overwhelmingly peaceful conduct maintained throughout both events.
Remarkably, only two arrests were made during the entire Toronto demonstration, and police indicated these individuals were detained for threatening protesters rather than for any actions by the demonstrators themselves. This stands in stark contrast to many recent "pro-Palestinian" demonstrations that have frequently degenerated into vandalism and antisemitic incidents following Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023.
A Just Cause Deserving Canadian Support
The editorial argues compellingly that the cause of these Iranian demonstrators represents a just movement that deserves the support of all Canadians for reasons of enlightened self-interest. Iran has been officially designated as a state sponsor of global terrorism that financially supports multiple organizations classified as terrorist entities by the Canadian government.
These include Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with its Quds Force division. Beyond its international terrorist activities, the Iranian regime has been responsible for murdering, torturing, and imprisoning thousands of human rights protesters within Iran's own borders.
Direct Threats to Canadian Security
The connection between Iran's regime and threats to Canadian citizens is disturbingly direct. The IRGC was responsible for the deaths of 55 Canadian citizens, 30 permanent residents, and 138 civilians with ties to Canada when it shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 over Tehran on January 8, 2020. All 176 passengers aboard the aircraft perished in this tragic incident.
Canada's foreign interference inquiry has explicitly identified Iran as a security threat to Canadians, while the federal government classifies it as a perpetrator of transnational repression. According to official assessments, "Iranian intelligence services act indirectly through agents, contacts and sympathizers, including individuals in Canada associated with organized crime groups."
The regime engages in systematic "coercive practices" against Canadians, including monitoring, harassing, and intimidating members of community groups or those critical of the Iranian government. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has documented death threats organized by Iran against Canadian citizens, including a failed assassination attempt targeting former justice minister Irwin Cotler.
Significant Iranian Presence in Canada
A 2023 Global News investigation revealed there were more than 700 operatives of the Khamenei regime actively present within Canada. This substantial presence underscores why supporting anti-regime demonstrators represents not just solidarity with the Iranian people, but a matter of national security interest for Canada.
The peaceful nature of these recent protests, combined with the justness of their cause and the direct threats Iran poses to Canadian security, creates a compelling argument for why all Canadians should support these demonstrators seeking regime change in Iran. As the editorial concludes, this represents both moral solidarity with oppressed people and practical protection of Canadian interests against a regime that has demonstrated repeated hostility toward Canada and its citizens.
