DOZENS of Barnet Iranians gathered outside the US embassy in London last night to protest against the treatment of their relatives in Iraq.
Up to 3,500 Iranians associated with the People's Muhajideen of Iran (PMOI) opposition political group have been living in Camp Ashraf since the 1980s.
Since the fall of Sadam Hussein the Iraqi government has promised to closed the camp, forcing its residents home to what they fear will be repression at the hands of the Iranian government.
Iraqi police have raided the camp in the last few days and, amid conflicting reports, supporters of the PMOI claim the raid has descended into violence and 14 are dead.
Iranians from across London, including many from Barnet, are now holding a 24 hour protest outside the US embassy to urge intervention.
Jalal, 50, from Oakleigh Park North, who did not want his full name published, said many Iranians are “very concerned” about the situation.
“They've been trying to dismantle the camp and now they're doing whatever they can to close it,” he said. “That's why the situation is getting so bad.
“The violence has been entirely unprovoked.”
The Iraqi government has denied that force has been used or that it is attempting to force people out of the camp.
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