Iran

It is, of course, a difficult a difficult path to navigate, especially for a non-brown (as far as I know) British male, brought up in a largely tolerant society. True, when England last won the World Cup, homosexuality between men was effectively illegal in the UK. But things have changed. And for the better.

Russia has rightly been excluded from most sporting competition and international financial transactions.

Qatar should never have had the current World Cup, for reasons with which we are only too familiar.

I have heard calls that Iran also should have been banned from the World Cup because the end result of the Fashion Police’s over zealous enforcement of arbitrary “rules” was the death in custody of Masha Amini. She was arrested for “showing too much hair”, despite she was wearing a hijab. Plus the regime’s response is not to listen, but to try and suppress dissent.

There is some considerable force to that view (namely, exclusion from international activity).

I have read comments from some of the Iranian team in Qatar that they are playing football for their country and not for the regime.

There is a difference. The marchers are proud Iranians. It is the country with which they identify, even if many of them are technically UK citizens. They are, perhaps, fortunate to have the freedom to protest here. But they stand with their heritage, their country and they are more than entitled, even right, to protest. I suspect it will make fuck all difference and Tehran won’t even notice.

What can I do? Take pictures, take notice, read flyers being handed out. It’s not much, but at least you got this shot instead of the absolutely awful, disgrace of a Xmas Market that opened around St George’s Hall this morning.

I guess, at least, if we stay informed, then they’re getting somewhere.