A crowd gathered around speakers and singers in Jefferson Square Park on Sunday, a local government square filled with songs protesting the Trump administration’s actions and current politics.
The United States and Israel added to their discontent on Saturday when they joined forces to attack Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and destabilizing the country’s regime.
“I feel so powerless, like there’s nothing I can do,” said Marissa Beinhauer, who came to the party seeking relief. “That’s why it’s good to be here.”
The event’s organizers, Singing Resistance Louisville, added a song to their setlist in which leaders sang “Ceasefire Now” and the crowd repeated the phrase.
“The ‘Cease Fire Now’ song was added today due to the events of yesterday,” said Louisville Resistance Sing team member Emily Smith. “When people sing together, their breathing and heart rate actually synchronize, so we embody unity and peace in our protest and advocacy efforts.”
Farah Mokhtareizadeh, an Iranian American in Louisville, is even more frightened after Saturday’s attack.
“We’re scared, scared of what might happen, because I don’t believe the leaders of this country or Israel have the best interests of their own people or the Iranian people at heart,” Mohtarezadeh said.
Mohtarezade said communication with friends and family in Iran has been restricted. Internet access is limited and it’s not safe to talk about politics over the phone, she said.
She said the situation was one of “very mixed feelings” because she disagrees with what the regime has done for more than four decades, but said she believed U.S. tax dollars are better spent in the states.
“We can solve our problems through diplomacy and dialogue, not through killing, violence and brutality,” Mohtarezadeh said. “It will not create a peaceful Middle East, nor will it create a peaceful America or Israel.”
On Saturday, WHAS11 heard from Iranian-Americans from across Kentucky who celebrated the action and thanked those who toppled the dictator.
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