PEOPLE IMPACTED. DAYS AFTER AN INTERNET BLACKOUT IN IRAN, DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE SPREAD FAR BEYOND THE COUNTRY’S BORDERS, WITH IRANIANS BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD, CALLING FOR AN END TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC. HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE SAY THEY’RE NOT ASKING FOR MUCH, JUST THE CHANCE TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE WITHOUT REPRESSION. YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO. IN THE PAST 47 YEARS, THE BRUTALITY OF THE REGIME STARTED BECAUSE THEY IMPRISONING PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE NO DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS. THE FRUSTRATION AND ANGER WAS ON FULL DISPLAY IN ROSEVILLE OVER THE WEEKEND, AS IRANIANS WITH LOVED ONES STILL BACK HOME, STOOD IN SOLIDARITY. MANY SAY CONDITIONS IN IRAN HAVE BEEN DETERIORATING FOR YEARS, FROM SEVERE WATER SHORTAGES TO A CRUSHING ECONOMIC CRISIS DRIVEN BY SOARING INFLATION. AND FOR MANY, GOING BACK IS SIMPLY NOT AN OPTION. I DO TRAVEL AROUND THE GLOBE. I LOVE TO GO SEE IT, BUT NOT DURING THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AT THIS TIME. THESE PROTESTS ARE GIVING MANY IRANIANS HOPE THAT REAL CHANGE COULD BE POSSIBLE. THIS LATEST WAVE BEGAN WITH A BAZAARIS MERCHANTS AND SHOP OWNERS WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN LOYAL TO THE REGIME. A SIGN TO MANY THAT EVEN SOME OF ITS TRADITIONAL SUPPORTERS MAY BE TURNING. MEANWHILE, AS THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT HAS CUT OFF MUCH OF THE COUNTRY FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD, SHUTTING DOWN THE INTERNET AND COMMUNICATIONS, FAMILIES HERE ARE LEFT IN AGONIZING LIMBO, DESPERATE FOR ANY WORD FROM HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NO NEWS FROM PEOPLE IN IRAN, FROM OUR LOVED ONES IN IRAN, AND WE ARE ALL IN LIKE WE ARE ALL IN A VERY, VERY DARK PLACE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON WITH OUR FAMILIES AND BACK HOME. MARICELA DE LA CRUZ KCRA 3 NEWS ZINA SACRAMENTO MET TODAY TO DISCUSS THE
Iranian Americans in Sacramento rally amid global protests
Updated: 7:09 PM PST Jan 12, 2026
Demonstrations supporting the Iranian people have erupted across the U.S., including in the Sacramento region, as Iranians both at home and abroad call for an end to the Islamic Republic.”You have to look into the past 47 years. The brutality of the regime, how it started, because the imprisoning of people and they had no democratic rights,” said Amir Hamidi, an Iranian American.Over the weekend, frustration and anger were evident in Roseville, where Iranians with loved ones still in Iran stood in solidarity. Many say conditions in Iran have been deteriorating for years, citing severe water shortages and a crushing economic crisis driven by soaring inflation. For many, returning to Iran is not an option.”I travel around the globe. I’d love to go see , but not during the Islamic Republic at this time because they are dictators, they will arrest you, forget that I work for the US government. To be a citizen, it’s guilty of a crime,” Hamidi said.These protests are giving many Iranians hope that real change could be possible. The latest wave began with the “bazaaris”—merchants and shop owners who have historically been loyal to the regime—indicating that even some traditional supporters may be turning.Meanwhile, as the Iranian government has cut off much of the country from the outside world by shutting down the internet and communications, families in the U.S. are left in agonizing limbo, desperate for any word from home.”Unfortunately, we have no news from people in Iran, from our loved ones in Iran and we are all in like a very, very dark place right now because we don’t know what’s going on with our families back home,” said a protester.”Zhina Sacramento” met on Monday to discuss their next event, which could be held this coming weekend.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Demonstrations supporting the Iranian people have erupted across the U.S., including in the Sacramento region, as Iranians both at home and abroad call for an end to the Islamic Republic.
“You have to look into the past 47 years. The brutality of the regime, how it started, because the imprisoning of people and they had no democratic rights,” said Amir Hamidi, an Iranian American.
Over the weekend, frustration and anger were evident in Roseville, where Iranians with loved ones still in Iran stood in solidarity. Many say conditions in Iran have been deteriorating for years, citing severe water shortages and a crushing economic crisis driven by soaring inflation. For many, returning to Iran is not an option.
“I travel around the globe. I’d love to go see [Iran], but not during the Islamic Republic at this time because they are dictators, they will arrest you, forget that I work for the US government. To be a citizen, it’s guilty of a crime,” Hamidi said.
These protests are giving many Iranians hope that real change could be possible. The latest wave began with the “bazaaris”—merchants and shop owners who have historically been loyal to the regime—indicating that even some traditional supporters may be turning.
Meanwhile, as the Iranian government has cut off much of the country from the outside world by shutting down the internet and communications, families in the U.S. are left in agonizing limbo, desperate for any word from home.
“Unfortunately, we have no news from people in Iran, from our loved ones in Iran and we are all in like a very, very dark place right now because we don’t know what’s going on with our families back home,” said a protester.
“Zhina Sacramento” met on Monday to discuss their next event, which could be held this coming weekend.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel