A dramatic act of defiance unfolded Friday outside Iran’s Embassy in London when an anti-regime protester climbed the building’s balcony, removed the Islamic Republic’s flag, and replaced it with Iran’s historic pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” emblem. The bold move drew loud cheers from a crowd of demonstrators gathered below, many waving signs and chanting against Iran’s clerical leadership.
Video circulating online shows the individual scaling the embassy façade in the Kensington area before tearing down the current national flag and hoisting the symbol associated with Iran’s monarchy before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Demonstrators widely viewed the act as a decisive rejection of the current regime and an expression of solidarity with protesters inside Iran.
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed officers responded to the incident and made two arrests. One individual was taken into custody on suspicion of aggravated trespass and assault on an emergency worker, while another was arrested for aggravated trespass. Authorities also indicated they were seeking an additional person in connection with trespassing at the site.
Police did not immediately clarify whether the protester who climbed the building and removed the flag was among those arrested. Security was tightened around the embassy following the incident as officers worked to disperse the crowd and restore order.
The “Lion and Sun” emblem carries deep historical meaning for many Iranians, symbolizing the country before the Islamic Revolution that brought the current theocratic system to power. In recent weeks, the flag has re-emerged at protests around the world as a sign of opposition to clerical rule and a call for a different political future.
Chants supporting Iran’s former monarchy and calls for national restoration have become increasingly common both inside Iran and among diaspora communities abroad, reflecting a growing willingness to challenge the ideological foundations of the current system.
The embassy protest in London is part of a wider wave of solidarity demonstrations that have erupted across major European cities. Large gatherings have taken place in Paris and Berlin, where Iranian expatriates and supporters have rallied in support of demonstrators back home.
Additional protests have been reported in North America, including gatherings outside government buildings in Washington, D.C., as international attention intensifies around Iran’s internal unrest. Protesters abroad say their actions are meant to amplify the voices of those inside Iran who face severe risks for speaking out.
Inside Iran, demonstrations that began over economic grievances in late December have evolved into a nationwide challenge to the ruling establishment. Protesters across dozens of provinces have called for sweeping political change, openly denouncing senior leaders and demanding an end to authoritarian rule.
Human rights monitors estimate that more than 70 people have been killed and over 2,300 detained since the unrest began. Security forces have responded with mass arrests, live ammunition, and aggressive crowd control measures. The government has also imposed a nationwide internet blackout, sharply limiting communication and restricting the flow of information out of the country.
Speaking in Washington on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran is under mounting pressure as protests spread to cities once considered firmly under government control. He warned that the United States is closely monitoring the situation and cautioned Iranian leaders against resorting to mass violence.
Trump stated that if the regime unleashes large-scale force against civilians, the U.S. would respond decisively, emphasizing that any action would target strategic pressure points rather than involve ground troops.
Despite international warnings, Iran’s leadership has signaled a hardening stance. Senior judicial officials issued statements declaring that participation in protests would be treated as a grave offense, with demonstrators labeled “enemies of God,” a charge that carries the harshest penalties under Iranian law.
Authorities warned that even those accused of assisting or supporting protests could face prosecution without leniency, signaling an impending escalation in the government’s response.
The embassy incident in London underscores how Iran’s domestic crisis has evolved into a global movement, with diaspora communities taking visible and symbolic action. As unrest continues inside Iran and solidarity protests expand abroad, the confrontation between demonstrators and the regime appears far from over.
With tensions rising on multiple fronts, the coming days may prove decisive in determining whether Iran’s leadership can contain the unrest—or whether the challenge to its authority will continue to grow at home and abroad.
