More than a 100 people gathered for a protest on Saturday against what they called terrorism by the Iranian government against its citizens.

The protest comes as thousands of people in Iran have been killed in demonstrations against the country’s government. More than 3,300 people have been killed in the crackdown. The protests started on Dec. 28 amid concerns with Iran’s economy.

According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists New Agency, it has exceeded that of an other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and raclling the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution.

Many of the protesters Saturday in Raleigh said they were from Iran and still had family living in the country. Several of the demonstrators were holding signs and the historic flag and the Shah of Iran, the leader of the country before the 1979 revolution.

While the Raleigh Police Department said there was no permit for the protest, it remained peaceful.

Organizers told WRAL News that the protest was organized to raise awareness of the situation in Iran, stand for human rights and amplify the voices of those still in the country.

“I want to say to the people of Iran that you are not alone. You are being heard. Although the internet is out, we are trying to be your voice. And to the people of America, this is this is for the whole world peace,” said Shaharzad Azizzadeh, a demonstrator in Raleigh.

Internet service has largely been blocked in Iran since Jan. 8 during mass protests and a violent government crackdown, although on Saturday witnesses said text messaging and very limited internet services began functioning again briefly in parts of Iran. Some have crossed the Turkish boarder to get around the internet blackout.

Those at the Raleigh protest were shouting “Make Iran Great Again,” and “USA be their voice.”

 In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump had told protesting Iranians that “help is on the way and his administration would “act accordingly” if the killing of demonstrators conditnues or if Iranian authorities executed detained protesters. Protesters in Raleigh said they hope the United States intervenes soon.

“This benefits the entire world, the entire region. And we believe President Trump is a man of his word. And when he said, we will make Iran great again, that would benefit America as well,”Azizzadeh said.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday branded U.S. President Donald Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran, and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths. 

“In this revolt, the U.S. president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: ‘We do support you, we do support you militarily,'” said Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. He reiterated an accusation that the U.S. seeks domination over Iran’s economic and political resources.

Khamenei then described protesters as “foot soldiers” of the United States and claimed they had destroyed mosques and educational centers.

“Through hurting people, they killed several thousands of them,” he said.

In response, Trump called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.

“The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and
stop killing people,” Trump told Politico in an interview Saturday. “His
country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of
poor leadership.”

“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” he added.

AP wire reports and WRAL reporter Kirstyn Clark contributed to this story.