Iranian Dissident Journalist Attacked at London Hostage Release Rally

Iranian dissident journalist Niyak Ghorbani was violently assaulted during a protest in London on Sunday, where demonstrators called for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

According to eyewitness accounts and Ghorbani’s own testimony, an assailant threw a foul-smelling liquid from a bottle at him before lunging forward and grabbing him by the neck. The harrowing encounter was caught on camera by photographers present at the march.

“I felt I truly looked death in the eye and came back from it,” Ghorbani later recounted on social media, describing the moment his vision began to fade as he was choked. He said he tightly gripped his attacker’s collar to prevent escape, even as a female accomplice clawed at his neck and body in an attempt to free him.

The attack escalated when two additional individuals joined in, striking Ghorbani from different directions, further overwhelming him as his sight dimmed. Intervention by members of the Community Security Trust (CST), the public, and police ultimately subdued the primary assailant, who was arrested at the scene.

Ghorbani, a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, has previously faced violence during protests, especially for his outspoken stance against Hamas. He left Iran in 2014 and has since been an active campaigner, supporting causes such as the Israeli defense operations against Iran and advocating for the exiled Iranian crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.

Following the assault, Ghorbani was taken to a hospital for treatment. Sarai Idan, former Miss Iraq and CEO of Humanity4ward, confirmed his hospitalization and condemned the attack.

This incident occurs amid rising concerns over antisemitism and political violence in Europe, underscoring the risks faced by activists and journalists who speak out on sensitive geopolitical issues.