Hundreds Rally in Santa Monica for Pro-Shah, Anti-Regime Demonstration at Third Street Promenade

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - On Sunday, April 19, 2026, roughly a couple hundred protesters gathered at the Third Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica for a vocal "Freedom for Iran" rally that blended calls for regime change with explicit support for the return of the Pahlavi monarchy. The event, promoted across social media as "LA Stands for Iran," drew Iranian-Americans and supporters who turned the popular shopping promenade into a platform for dissent against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Organizers had announced the demonstration days in advance, scheduling it for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with a clear message: "No to the Islamic Republic. No to executions. No to political imprisonment." Santa Monica police were on hand to manage traffic and clear Ocean Avenue as needed, ensuring the peaceful assembly could proceed safely while businesses and visitors maintained access.

Protesters filled the promenade carrying large signs featuring photographs of Iranians arrested, imprisoned, or disappeared under the current regime. Many waved the pre-1979 Lion and Sun flag of Iran - a potent symbol of the Pahlavi era - and chanted anti-regime slogans including "Freedom for Iran," "Democracy for Iran," "Down with the Islamic Republic," and variations demanding accountability for political prisoners and executions. The crowd's energy was palpable, with rhythmic chants echoing through the open-air space as passersby stopped to watch or film on their phones.

Video: Santa Monica Police protected the lone Anti-Israel protestor from angry anti regime protestors.

The rally carried a distinctly pro-Shah tone, aligning with broader Iranian diaspora movements that increasingly back Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince and son of the last Shah, as a unifying figure for a post-regime transition. Hashtags such as #JavidShah ("Long Live the Shah") have become staples at similar events in Los Angeles, home to one of the largest Iranian communities outside Iran.

One protester, holding a sign depicting a political prisoner, captured the event's internationalist spirit when he told onlookers: "We're here to celebrate the historic partnership between Israel, America and the Iranian people."

The demonstration reflected months of sustained activism by Iranian-Americans frustrated with the Islamic Republic's crackdowns, executions, and human-rights record. Similar rallies have drawn thousands in Los Angeles in recent weeks, often featuring calls for Reza Pahlavi to play a leading role in any democratic transition. Organizers frequently frame their movement as one of national revival rather than mere opposition - emphasizing secular democracy, an end to theocracy, and renewed alliances with the West and Israel.A second attendee, speaking amid the chanting, echoed the frustration felt by many in the crowd: "The regime has silenced our brothers and sisters inside Iran for too long. Today we are their voice - no more executions, no more political prisoners, no more Islamic Republic." Others held portraits of Reza Pahlavi aloft, shouting his name as a rallying cry for what they described as a "return to greatness" for Persia.Police described the gathering as orderly, with no arrests reported. The Santa Monica Police Department had posted in advance: "We respect and support the community's right to peacefully assemble and express their views." Officers focused on traffic control and public safety rather than crowd control, a familiar scene at the many Iran-related protests that have become regular features of Southern California's political landscape.

The Third Street Promenade event is the latest in a series of diaspora actions that have intensified since late 2025 amid reports of mass protests, arrests, and executions inside Iran. Supporters abroad see these rallies as essential to keeping international pressure on Tehran and amplifying the voices of those unable to speak freely at home. Many participants wore green, white, and red - the colors of the pre-revolutionary flag - and distributed pamphlets outlining demands for regime change and a secular, democratic Iran.As the afternoon wore on, the crowd marched briefly along Ocean Avenue after police cleared the street, continuing their chants and flag-waving in a show of unity. For the Iranian expatriates present, the rally was more than a protest - it was a public affirmation of hope that the Islamic Republic's days are numbered and that a freer Iran, perhaps under the symbolic leadership of Reza Pahlavi, is within reach.One organizer summed up the mood as the event wound down: "We will not stop until every political prisoner is free and the regime that stole our country is gone. Javid Shah!"The demonstration dispersed peacefully by late afternoon, leaving the promenade to weekend shoppers once again - but not before leaving a clear message that the Iranian diaspora's fight for freedom continues, block by block and city by city.