'Love and respect' to Iran: British rockers Coldplay send solidarity message to Mahsa Amini protesters

British rock band Coldplay has issued a statement in support of the ongoing demonstrations in Iran protesting Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody.

The band, who is currently on tour in South America, posted a statement on their official Twitter and Instagram pages on Saturday, which read:

"Hi everyone, we hope you’re all doing ok. We'd like to send particular love and respect to those of you standing up for the right to be free, peaceful and Yourself, in all of those places where that right is not yet afforced each and every person".

The members then went on to state that they "would like to send much love to the family of Mahsa Amini", before signing off their post with their initials.

pic.twitter.com/IwCsnhEbun

— Coldplay (@coldplay) October 1, 2022

Coldplay has joined a growing list of latest celebrities - both foreign and Iranian - in showing solidarity with the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, who died in police custody following her arrest on 16 September.

Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid, Egyptian-American actor and 'Ramy' star Ramy Youssef, and Angelina Jolie are among those who have spoken out against Mahsa Amini's death and Iranian authorities.

Well-known Iranian celebrities, including sports people and filmmakers, have also expressed support for protesters in Iran, angered at Amini's death in custody.

Last week, Iran’s football team covered up the country’s national symbols and wore black in apparent solidarity with the protesters during a friendly football match against Senegal in Austria.

Amini, whose Kurdish name can be spelled as Zhina or Jina, was apprehended by Iran's so-called morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab "correctly".

Her family maintain that she was "insulted, beaten and tortured" by police in detention, which led to her falling into a coma, and her subsequent death.

Amini’s death has triggered large-scale anti-government protests in the country as a response, where authorities have launched a violent crackdown on the protesters, with dozens feared dead. 

Protesters are calling for the dissolving of the religious police and for the end of obligatory dress codes.