Chanting "Freedom ...Now" and denouncing Iran's rulers, hundreds of demonstrators marched in New York Saturday to demand the release of all political prisoners and democracy in the Islamic Republic, AFP reported.
The march, which culminated three days of protest here against political repression in Iran, was part of an "Iran Global Day of Action" staged in 85 cities around the world.
A crowd estimated at 600 by police and at 2000 by the organizers, gathered in Manhattan's Times Square, where protesters unfurled banners proclaiming "United We Stand against dictatorship in Iran," "Stop mass arrest and torture of Iranians" or "Release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience."
The demonstrators, young Iranian exiles or Iranian Americans for the most part, also waved green flags symbolizing Iran's Green movement supporting opposition leader and defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
They then filed past Iran's UN mission where the following message from Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi was read:
"If one country wants to support democracy in another country that is under dictatorial rule, the only thing to do is to support the freedom fighters who stand for the democratic institutions of that country. Done this way, the sapling of democracy will bear the flower of freedom."
"Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Khamenei has got to go," the protesters also chanted, referring to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Khameinei: you're a liar...you're a cheater."
Bijan Afkami, an Iranian exile who has lived in the United States for 30 years, traveled all they way from Austin, Texas to join the protest.
"We want the Iranian people to enjoy the same rights that we enjoy in this country," he told AFP. "(President Mahmud) Ahmadinejad is a criminal. He has to go."
Several demonstrators said there was no doubt in their minds that Ahmadinejad "stole the election" in June.
Ahmadinejad's June 12 reelection with 63 percent of the vote sparked protests in Iran by hundreds of thousands who claimed that ballot counting was rigged. The violence left at least 20 people dead.
The march ended in a park near the United Nations headquarters. Organizers called on the world body to send a delegation to Iran to investigate the fate of political prisoners.
They also demanded the unconditional release of all political prisoners, full accountability for all the crimes allegedly perpetrated by the Iranian regime and freedom of assembly as well as freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Iranian constitution.
Navid Hazeghi, a young activist of the "United for Iran" movement, said the protest was a "grassroot effort that developed on Facebook and brought together 1,000 people in four days."
"People want to get involved. The message of democracy in the Middle East is important," he told AFP.