Film stars including Juliette Binoche and Marion Cotillard have chopped off hair in support of protesters in Iran. It comes as the country is engulfed in anti-government protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.
The UK’s Charlotte Rampling, Charlotte Gainsbourg and singer Jane Birkin filmed themselves cutting off locks of their hair "for freedom". Julie Gayet, wife of former French president François Hollande, also took part.
They join the women across Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and France who have been seen cutting off their hair in a show of solidarity in calling for more freedom for women. In a video, released on Instagram and hash-tagged HairForFreedom, The English Patient actress Binoche, said “for freedom” as she hacked off a large handful of her hair.
Gainsbourg was filmed cutting the hair of her mother, Birkin. The video appeared on Wednesday on an Instagram account, “soutienfemmesiran”, which translates as “support women in Iran”.
A post on the video read: “These women, these men are asking for our support. Their courage and their dignity obliges us. We have decided to respond to the appeal made to us by cutting – us too – some of these locks."
Mahsa died in police custody on September 16 after being arrested by 'morality police' in Tehran for not wearing her hijab in accordance with the country’s strict religious laws. Police say she died of a heart attack but eyewitnesses claim she was beaten.
Her death has sparked waves of protest in which over 130 people have died, according to rights groups.
"Mahsa Amini was abused by the morality police until death followed. All she stood accused of was wearing her veil in an inappropriate manner. She died for having a few locks of her hair exposed," read a text on the Instagram video posted by soutienfemmesiran (Support for Women of Iran).
“Since Mahsa’s death on September 16, the Iranian people, led by women, have been protesting at the risk of their lives. These people only hope for access to the most essential freedoms."
It continued: "These women, these men, are asking for our support. Their courage and dignity oblige us [to act].
"It is impossible not to denounce again and again this terrible repression. There have been dozens of deaths, including children.
"The arrests are swelling the number of prisoners already illegally held and too often tortured. We decided to answer the call that was thrown at us by cutting some of these locks.”
