Pro-Iran vigil for Khamenei sparks clashes with counter-protesters in NYC park

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A vigil organized to mourn the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday, March 6, sparked clashes between pro-Iran demonstrators and anti-Iran counter-protesters.

The vigil was organized to mourn the death of Khamenei, who was recently assassinated in a US operation called 'Operation Epic Fury' targeting military and political establishments in Iran. Police were deployed as tensions rose, and arrests were reported after the confrontation turned violent.

Vigil held in New York to honor Iran’s supreme leader

During the gathering, protesters honoring Khamenei placed images of the late leader on a table alongside flowers and candles. Some participants also held signs reading “solidarity with Iran.”

Protesters were heard chanting slogans in Farsi, including “death to America, death to Israel,” during the gathering. A masked speaker delivered remarks condemning US actions and expressing support for Iran’s leadership and institutions.

“We mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. We mourn IRGC General Qassem Soleimani. And we mourn President Ibrahim Raisi,” the speaker said, describing them as “Iranian leaders who represented resistance to Zionism, resistance to colonial domination.”

The speaker continued, “We stand with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We stand with the Iranian people defending their sovereignty and their revolution and the right to determine their own future without any interference from the United States or any other Western power.”

Referring to the reported assassination, the speaker said, “The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by the US government in a te**orist attack on March 1st.” The remarks also accused “CIA and Mossad sponsored te**orism” and declared, “We defend our right to resist by any means necessary.”

The speaker added that people living in the United States had a responsibility not to criticize Iran while their government wages war. “Our responsibility here as internally colonized people living inside the empire is not to lecture Iran or any other global south nation while our government wages war against them."

Clashes break out at vigil as Iran conflict escalates

As the vigil drew attention, clashes broke out between pro-Iran demonstrators and Iranian counter-protesters. The opposing group gathered across a metal police barricade and chanted slogans including “USA,” and “Trump thank you, Bibi thank you.”

Counter-protesters were also seen holding US and Israeli flags and carrying cutouts showing Iran’s exiled king, Reza Pahlavi. Police intervened as tensions escalated between the groups, and arrests were reported during the confrontation.

The developments come as military operations involving the US and Israel against Iran continue. The Israeli military said it had launched a broad wave of strikes targeting the Iranian capital early Saturday.

Some of the strikes reportedly hit an area near Mehrabad Airport, a busy civilian airfield in Tehran. Residents said in text messages that they saw what looked like commercial planes parked on the tarmac burning.

They also reported that the airport exploded into a “giant ball of fire and smoke” and that thick smoke was filling the air following the strikes.