BOISE, Idaho -- The Party for Socialism and Liberation held a protest against the U.S. and Israeli air strikes in Iran while a group of Iranian-Americans danced and celebrated in downtown Boise.
A group of American citizens from Iran gathered near the Grove Plaza, waving Iranian and American flags. This group celebrated with chants of "USA" and "thank you, Trump!" because the strikes killed Ayatollah Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had been in power since 1979.
"Iranians are safer, and the whole world is safer with Khamenei not alive anymore, that is my reaction," said Fariborz Parthor.
"People in Iran are dancing in the streets."
Fariborz Parthor stressed that he doesn't want to see war in Iran, but he compared the military action called Operation Epic Fury to tracking down a serial killer who has been terrorizing Iranians and putting the world in danger.
"The Islamic Republic murderers themselves left the world no other choice," said Parthor. "They continue their crimes as we are speaking right now, and as I mentioned a month and a half ago, they massacred over 40,000 innocent human beings in a matter of 12 hours."
The Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a protest at Boise City Hall to voice their opposition to President Trump and the actions taken in Iran. Around 100 people showed up, and the leader of the protest condemned the killing of children at a school in a strike that has been reported by Iran.
"I heard more than 80 children were killed by these strikes," said Morrighan Nyx. "How can we look at any of this and believe that it is in the name of human rights or democracy? This is in the name of the empire; it is a war of choice."
Johnathan Baldauf from Idaho 50501 came out to the protest. Baldauf worries about the future and what this escalation could mean for American troops and lives while also believing that President Trump authorized the air strikes without congressional approval.
"At the end of the day, Iran was not an existential threat; executive overreach may be an existential threat to the country," said Baldauf. "Yes, I worry about what blowback could happen. We are not playing checkers; this is a 3D chess game, and we need to make sure we are making the right move, and that is why Congress needs to be involved."