Protest outside Azerbaijani Embassy in London features Iranian flags and hijab placards

Protest outside Azerbaijani Embassy in London features Iranian flags and hijab placards
Protesters gather outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab, 30 October 2026.
Reuters

Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.

A small group assembled outside the embassy, holding banners and signs, including “Hands Off My Hijab” placards and flags associated with the UK-based Islamic Human Rights Commission.

Protesters were also seen carrying Iranian national flags featuring portraits of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Participants chanted slogans supporting the right to wear religious headscarves, including “Let our sisters learn today.” 

The demonstration comes amid a widening debate in Azerbaijan following the enforcement of new school uniform regulations that established a standard for schools which does not explicitly target the wearing of hijab.

School rules spark national controversy

The dispute began after Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to school uniform regulations on 21 September.

The rules prohibit clothing deemed incompatible with “the principle of secular education.”

The regulations were introduced as part of a nationwide uniform policy and did not explicitly reference the hijab. The implementation on 12 October saw schools refusing entry to girls wearing headscarves.

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