September 23, 2023 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Westwood Persian Restaurant With Memorial for Women Killed in Iran Vandalized

Persian Gulf victim of recent vandalism

By Dolores Quintana 

Persian Gulf, a newly opened wine bar and bakery at 1389 Westwood Blvd has been vandalized after the owner, Roozbeh Farahanipour, showed his support for the protests in Iran. The owner also believes that the restaurant’s memorial for Mahsa Amini and the other women killed in the weeks-long protests in Iran was a factor in the attack. The memorial, which seems to have drawn so much ire, is a table decorated simply with photos of six women, Mahsa, Hadis, Nika, Sarina, Ghazaleh and Hananeh, roses and candles. 

The protests erupted in Iran after the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, who was in the custody of the so-called Morality Police or Guidance Patrol, who monitor women’s dress and head coverings in Iranian cities. This government group can arrest women for not covering their hair or fully covering their bodies.  The Guidance Patrol insisted she died of a heart attack, at the age of 22, but witnesses who were also in custody told a different story. Those women said that Amini had been brutally beaten. 

When we spoke to owner Roozbeh Farahanipour via phone, he said that the memorial had only been up for a few weeks. He elaborated and said, “But when I went to LA county Supervisors to testify over the issue and make sure to tell the LA County [Supervisors] to support the Iranian movement and send a letter to the Biden Administration to not negotiate with the terrorist regime, The Islamic Republic. Almost at the same time, NBC and Washington Post gave us some publicity over the table. The name of the restaurant, the social media? That was the reason that they targeted us.” He also mentioned that the table became very popular on social media. 

Farahanipour was granted asylum in The United States after he was forced to flee Iran since he was one of the leaders of the uprising in 1999. He can no longer lead his people in his home but he wants to support them however he can here. 

The vandals drove by and threw an object out the window which smashed the front door at 7:55 a.m. in the morning which was captured on the restaurant’s security camera. Farahanipour believes that this was done to try and close the restaurant down, but he has decided to defy their wishes and have the wood used to block the door at night removed in the morning and then replaced when the restaurant closes at night. 

When asked if he had received other threats, Farahanipour said, “That’s nothing new to me this entire life. I have a death sentence from the regime. That’s why I escaped the country. Three times I was in jail in Iran and tortured. I fight this regime my entire life, for almost 40 years. My family [has] lost more than twenty members. This is the United States, the home of the free, it is not Iran. If they think they can silence us here, they can’t”

He added, “I appreciate the community always here in the US and I’m here to support the community, whatever I can do.”

in News
Related Posts

CAP UCLA Launches 2023-24 Season at Renovated Nimoy Theater

September 22, 2023

September 22, 2023

Actor Zachary Quinto to Host Special Event Honoring Leonard Nimoy By Dolores Quintana UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance...

Join Heal the Bay for the Official Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 23

September 21, 2023

September 21, 2023

Make a Difference in Your Community by Removing Trash From Our Coast By Dolores Quintana On Saturday, September 23, 2023,...

COVIDTests.gov to Reopen for Free Testing Starting on September 25

September 21, 2023

September 21, 2023

HHS Invests $600 Million in Domestic COVID-19 Test Manufacturing By Dolores Quintana The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...

(Video) Citizen Public Market’s New Expanded Rooftop Bar Area

September 21, 2023

September 21, 2023

The rooftop bar’s size has been doubled and offers a relaxing and al fresco area for patrons to enjoy cocktails,...

Shake Shack Introduces Pilot Program with Eco-Friendly Oil

September 21, 2023

September 21, 2023

Zero Acre Farms to partner with Shake Shack in NYC  By Keemia Zhang Shake Shack has announced a partnership with...

Pringles and Caviar Company Introduce New Tiktok-Inspired Collaboration

September 20, 2023

September 20, 2023

TikTok Trend Spurs Special Partnership Between Brands By Keemia Zhang ​Pringles and The Caviar Co. have collaborated to produce the...

FRIDA Mexican Cuisine Hosts Margarita Mondays, Discount on Food and Drinks

September 20, 2023

September 20, 2023

Mexican Restaurant In Westwood Offers Weekly Happy Hour at the Bar By Keemia Zhang FRIDA Mexican Cuisine, a restaurant that...

6th Annual UCLA Westwood Village Block Party Celebrates Community and Local Businesses

September 19, 2023

September 19, 2023

An Exciting Showcase of Westwood’s Vibrant Culture and Welcoming Spirit By Dolores Quintana The highly anticipated 6th annual UCLA Westwood...

Union Solidarity Coalition Creates Charity Auction to Support Industry Workers Amidst 2023 WGA Strike

September 19, 2023

September 19, 2023

Showbiz Memorabilia, Personal Meetings, Celebrity Dogwalking Among Auction Items By Dolores Quintana The Writers Guild strike against The Alliance of...

Los Angeles Launches ERAP to Prevent Homelessness Amidst Rent Crisis

September 19, 2023

September 19, 2023

United to House Los Angeles Program Offers Vital Rental Assistance By Dolores Quintana The United to House Los Angeles (ULA)...

Flux Screening Series at The Hammer: Showcasing Global Short Films and Music Videos

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

Night of Creativity and Entertainment with Prominent Filmmakers and Musicians By Dolores Quintana The Flux Screening Series is set to...

Phoenix House 5K Walk Fights Opioid Crisis, Raises Overdose Awareness

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

Inaugural Walk Seeks To Unite Community and Show Support To Families By Dolores Quintana Phoenix Houses of California, a prominent...

U.S. Poverty Rate Records First Increase in 13 Years, Census Bureau Reports

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

Data Shows an Alarming Surge In Poverty Among Most Vulnerable  By Dolores Quintana In a noteworthy development, the poverty rate...

(Video) The Opening of The Nimoy Theater in Westwood.

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

Just a few glimpses of the celebration today of this new CAP UCLA venue for the performing arts. @centurycitywestwoodnews The...

Iconic Greta Garbo Estate in Beverly Hills: Where Hollywood History Meets Modern Luxury

September 18, 2023

September 18, 2023

Step Inside the Enchanting Oasis That Redefines Creative Living in Los Angeles By Dolores Quintana Experience the enchanting allure of...