Vandals shatter gravestone of Iranian protest icon Mahsa Amini

A glass pane on the grave of Mahsa Amini, who died after being beaten while in the custody of Tehran's "Morality Police" was shattered by vandals on Sunday, according to her family.

Amini's brother, Ashkan Amini, published a photo of the shattered glass on his Instagram story, writing "the glass of your tombstone also bothers them" and "break it a thousand times. We will fix it again. Let's see who gets tired."

Mojgan Eftekhari, Amini's mother, also published a photo of the vandalized grave, writing in an address to the attackers that "You only prove your dishonour with these actions."

The lawyer for Amini's family, Saleh Nikbakht, confirmed the report of the vandalism as well, stating that "people known to have done the same things in the past attacked and destroyed the grave," according to a statement published by Radio Farda.

Nikbakht added that the family has been prevented by government forces from constructing a canopy over the grave as well, with the person who was supposed to build the canopy being told his shop will be sealed if he does so.

Amini was arrested by "morality police" officers in Tehran in mid-September last year for allegedly incorrectly wearing her hijab, with her family saying that she was beaten by the officers in the van that brought her to the police station.

At the police station, she collapsed and was brought to the hospital where she later died. Her relatives have told foreign media that they were kept largely in the dark about the situation.

Amini's death sparked large-scale protests across Iran which continued in dozens of cities for over four months, before slowing earlier this year.

In October, on the 40th day anniversary of Amini's death, thousands of Iranians visited her grave, with footage showing crowds of people walking down the highway toward the cemetery while chanting “Death to the dictator!” and singing songs written during the protests.