Iranian Protesters Symbolically Honor Trump by Renaming Streets Amid Escalating Violence

New video footage released this week shows Iranian protesters calling for protection from President Donald Trump, with one demonstrator renaming a street sign after him following his two warnings to Tehran not to harm demonstrators or risk U.S. intervention.

Over the past day, demonstrators have escalated protests across Iran, directly addressing Trump and chanting slogans against the government. Video shared with the outlet on Wednesday depicted a protester in Tehran symbolically changing the street name to honor Trump, while other clips featured handwritten messages reading, “Don’t let them kill us.”

Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, shared video clips online noting: “Since Trump’s comments about the Iran protests, I’ve seen numerous videos of Iranian protesters either thanking him or, in this case, renaming streets after the U.S. president.”

Iran’s judiciary issued a stern warning to protesters, stating there would be no leniency for anyone aiding perceived enemies of the regime and accusing Israel and the United States of using “hybrid tactics” to destabilize the nation.

The protests began with shopkeepers in Tehran expressing economic grievances before spreading to cities in provinces such as Fars and Lorestan, where demonstrators voiced broader criticism of the ruling clerics.

Human rights monitoring groups report that the protests have turned deadly. As of early January, at least 34 protesters and two police officers have been killed nationwide, with more than 2,000 people reportedly arrested during clashes with security forces.

International scrutiny of Tehran has intensified as Trump threatened possible U.S. intervention should Iranian security forces attack demonstrators, following heightened regional tensions and recent Israeli and U.S. actions targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Last week, as protests spread, Trump issued a warning on social media: “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

By James Morley III
Wednesday, 07 January 2026 05:24 PM EST