Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Los Angeles: U-Haul truck with MEK slogans plows through pro-shah Iran protest crowd, hitting one person

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The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) is a Marxist/jihadist group that wants an authoritarian regime in Iran, only one that they run, not the mullahs. It has bought the support of many conservatives in the U.S., and bamboozled others into thinking it is the true voice of the Iranian resistance. It is not; an MEK regime in Tehran would be just as bad, or worse than the present regime.

“U-Haul truck drives through Iran protest crowd in Los Angeles, one person struck and driver detained,” by Sophia Compton, Fox News, January 11, 2026:

One person was struck after a U-Haul truck drove through a crowd during a Los Angeles protest in support of anti-regime demonstrators in Iran, with the driver taken into custody, authorities said.

The incident occurred at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday along Veteran Avenue near the Federal Building in the Westwood neighborhood, according to the the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

“At approximately 1530 hours, the driver of a U-Haul truck collided with individuals marching along Veteran Avenue in the area of the Federal Building,” LAPD said in a statement.

Police said the adult male driver has been detained pending further investigation.

A driver reportedly drove a U-Haul truck through a crowd during a Los Angeles demonstration in support of the Iranian people on Sunday.

“At this time, one person was confirmed struck by the vehicle (an adult male); however, no significant injuries have been reported,” LAPD said. “A Rescue Ambulance treated the individual at the scene. No one has been transported to the hospital for medical treatment.”

Hundreds of people had gathered in the Westwood neighborhood as part of a march backing protesters in Iran, local outlet NBC4 Los Angeles reported.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a U-Haul truck moving quickly through a dense crowd as people screamed. In one video, a person appeared to hang onto the side of the vehicle and bang on a window as it continued moving.

A banner displayed on the side of the truck read, in all capital letters, “NO SHAH. NO REGIME. USA: DON’T REPEAT 1953. NO MULLAH,” along with another banner written in a foreign language….

Comments

  1. Leftists are one thing, but I just don’t get why people like Rudy Giuliani are endorsing the MEK. Particularly since he is not someone ignorant of islam, and if nothing else, the name “Mujahideen” should give him a clue: people who do jihad. That group is emblematic of the Green-Red alliance

    That group should never have been de-listed as a terrorist organization. Their opposition to the regime is only b’cos they are not a part of it. Otherwise, they are no different from Fatah, or the Ba’athists in Iraq or Syria. Also, last night, Armin Navabi pointed out that the only silver lining about the 1979 revolution was that Khomenei beat these guys to power. Bad as the islamic regime is, the MEK is worse, and that Iran would have been both islamic and communist, and had the worst of both worlds

    Other thing about MEK: during the 1980s war w/ Iraq, the MEK supported Saddam Hussein in the hope that if he won the war, he’d install them in Tehran. They’ve conducted terror operations against the Islamic regime ever since. Some may consider that justified given that it was the islamic regime, but while it’s one thing for protesters and demonstrators in Iran to be violent against the IRGC/Basij, it’s another thing totally to target iranian government employees in other countries

    I was watching videos of MEK in Armin’s stream, and like they said, this is another islamo-commie cult, w/ both islamic and communist symbology on their banners

    The people who organized that UHaul should all be arrested and the MEK should get back its designation as a terrorist organization. This event has shown that it is precisely that

    • In their own circles, the MEK boast about being the first “revolutionary fighters” into the “nest of spies” back in 1979. Uncle Kepha believes they should all be rounded up and deported (after due process of law, of course). The USA has no business harboring such people.

  2. “…the name “Mujahideen” should give him a clue … “

    Infidel, when the Soviet Union was fighting in Afghanistan, I was still very ignorant about Islam. Two or three young Afghani fighters came to our nearby college, proudly calling themselves the mujaheddin, soliciting support and money. They were given a huge, well publicized welcome, and treated like heroes by the school and community. We did not have a clue.

    The enemy of our enemy was really not our friend. At that time, one could not search the internet to find out what mujahedin meant. Just took their word for it. They wore the tradition Afghani turbans.

    • Back in those days, that ignorance might have been justified. 25 years after 9/11, not any more

      And this is Rudy we are talking about – someone who was smart enough to return a check from prince Alaweed bin Talal, and who always spoke out against jihad. If he doesn’t wanna be seen supporting a royal, he can just avoid taking sides. But to endorse an islamo-communist group is asinine

      I don’t expect better of Patrick Bet-David, although I am surprised that Pompeo and Bolton are that stupid

    • Back then, Keys, most people had no clue.
      Most people didn’t know that obl was a member of the mb, was the founder of al queda and a terrorist.
      Most people didn’t know the U.S government gave obl (al queda) weapons to fight Russia and why this was done.
      Later, when obl and his mob used those anti-aircraft weapons against the U.S. military, most people still didn’t know.
      the mujaedin are called by muzzlees “freedom fighters.” Most people thought that’s that was true.

      The problem now is….too many of those most, still have no clue; but not because they can’t search it out.

      • somehistory,

        I guess that I was not the only one that was totally ignorant regarding programs like “Operation Cyclone” which supported the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–89).

        It was packaged as “nothing to do with islam,” just the CIA supporting the mujahideen fighting the Soviet Commies.

        Hopefully, I have gained some wisdom…

        • Thank you, James. Wisdom: the correct use of knowledge and understanding.

      • You are right, somehistory. I had forgotten that the mujahadein did call themselves, and were also billed as, Afghan “freedom fighters” against the Soviets. Back then not many Americans were opposed to freedom.

        But lots of us had no clue – even Sylvester Stallone. His action hero, Rambo, fought with the gallantly portrayed mujahadein in the “Democratic Republic of Afghanistan” (ha, ha) in the 1988 movie Rambo 3.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_III

        1988 – around the time the number of mosques in the US began to explode thanks to Arab oil money. According to a duck-duck-go AI search:

        “More than two-thirds of the mosques that existed by 2000 were established after 1980.
        The 1980s saw a large influx of immigrant Muslims, leading to the establishment of many mosques as communities sought dedicated places of worship.”

        • Too many things to remember everything, Keys.

          I like to watch old movies and old tv series. Like the silly, “Murder She Wrote.” (no cops would allow what she was encouraged to do)
          One episode has her in Egypt where she ,at one point, pretends be a character’s mother to the muzzies.
          They make her eat something….icky-looking black stuff. But none of them pull at her, or threaten her….and she’s dressed as always.
          One episode has a muzzie working in the hotel where she stays….and he’s ever so respectful of her….which wouldn’t happen.

          The media….both fiction and pretend-non, give the public wrong ideas about islime.

          so many muzzie barracks….forward encampments for war.

  3. Bait and switch is Islam’s MO.
    1. Get the leftists/west to believe your goals are similar while they bankroll your “shared” goal.
    2. Then execute all the leftists when you have superior arms and power.
    3. Sharia law is installed and takes out all infidels and dissent.

  4. Mr. Spencer, please provide a link to articles you have written explaining why “MEK regime in Tehran would be just as bad, or worse than the present regime.”

    I don’t understand how it could be worse than the current regime, which is as bad as it could possibly be.

    The Iranian opposition group MEK (People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran, or PMOI) has historically expressed positions supportive of Israel, often aligning with its interests against the Iranian regime. This includes claims of close operational and intelligence cooperation, such as providing information on Iran’s nuclear program and alleged involvement in assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. Recent coverage portrays MEK as backing Israel’s actions amid escalating tensions, viewing them as opportunities to undermine the Islamic Republic.

    • Proud-American

      MEK is a coalition of the 2 worst ideologies – islam and communism. The current regime is just about islam, or shi’a islam, to be more specific. (There was one time when the late Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomenei called for the demolition of the tombs of the first 3 caliphs in Medina – Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman). So within Iran, some degree of economic freedom is actually allowed, as long as they all obey islamic practices regarding zakat and everything else. W/ an MEK regime, it would be communist, meaning a basket case like North Korea, w/ shariah law overlaid on it

      There is a reason that Iranians hate MEK. During the 8 year war w/ Iraq, which was a war against the Iranian people as well, as declared by Saddam, MEK was a stooge of Saddam Hussein and supported Iraq in that war. As a result, Iranians who are old enough to recall, remember them as traitors. Even Reza Pahlavi at that time volunteered to serve the Iranian Air Force against Iraq, but was rebuffed by the Khomenei regime. Even Israel supported Iran in that war, unbelievable as that might sound today, but MEK backed Iraq. They also committed terror acts against Iranian embassies abroad, which is why a lot of countries, including US, had them in their list of terrorist groups

      Also, if MEK were to come to power, Iran’s foreign policy vis a vis Israel and the US wouldn’t change. Their policy on Israel would be identical to Marxist regimes like Cuba, Venezuela,…. and they’d continue to be a vassal of China. On the islam side of things, they may be less hostile to sunni countries like Syria, Emirates, Bahrein and so on. But there is nothing to suggest that they’ll be less hostile to US

      That’s why Rudy Giuliani, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton are pretty clueless by endorsing the MEK

      • No, today’s MEK/NCRI is neither Marxist nor communist – & yes, they have thoroughly penetrated Iran’s nuclear & ballistic missile programs – very likely enabling incredible success of Israeli Operation Rising Lion as well as last 2+ decades of revelations about those programs

        Please read the NCRI’s 10-Point Plan & then we can follow up

  5. There has been a decades-long collaboration with Israel, starting with MEK revealing Iran’s Natanz nuclear site in 2002 and acting as a partner to Mossad in sabotage efforts. MEK leaders, including Maryam Rajavi, have been linked to meetings or overtures toward Israeli officials, positioning the group as ready to assist in conflicts against Iran. MEK has carried out operations like attacks during anniversaries of General Soleimani’s death.

    MEK has recently declared Iran “ready for democracy” through protests and uprisings, framing Israel’s pressures as aiding regime change.

    • No, MEK didn’t have collaborations w/ Israel. It was backed by, and backed, Saddam Hussein in the 80s Iraq war. They’re almost an Iranian version of the Abu Nidal group, which was Marxist, islamic, and would commit terror acts against Western and Israeli interests. In the 80s, they backed Iraq, while Israel, believe it or not, backed Iran, b’cos they rightly feared the Arab powers around them – Saddam, Assad, Gadaffi, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. Remember Iran-Contra? Israel was the conduit for getting US weaponry to the Iranians, and that was in the context of the Iran-Iraq war

  6. Infidel, et al

    Thank you for your, as always, informative comments. Like many in the 80′ s-90’s I was completely uninformed as to the Islamic end of the political structure of the involved belligerents. I had only a grasp of the communist side of things.
    Your comments help to create a much more complete picture of then and now.

  7. There is video showing the street crowd swarmed & attacked the U-Haul, tore off its signage & smashed its passenger window before the driver took off to escape – this is important context – as is the fact that despite its Marxist origins among Iranian university students in the 1960s, the MEK has long since evolved into a free-market-capitalist-supporting organization, dedicated to establishing a democratic republic in Iran after the mullahs’ regime is no more – see here below Maryam Rajavi’s 2006 10-Point Plan, that pledges support for a non-nuclear Iran, end to death penalty & terror support, gender equality, ethnic minority protection & more

    See all of it here:

    https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/viewpoints/plan-for-future-of-iran/

    I trust them because I’ve known & worked w/them personally for over 20 years.

    See what you think!

    Clare

    • I agree, Graven. Also, on the ground, the Iranian demonstrators aren’t split b/w Pahlavi and MEK: they’re all just pro-Pahlavi. One of their slogans are “No mullahs, no Leftists, no Mujahids!”, and by “mujahids”, they’re referring to the MEK

      I trust the judgement of the Iranian demonstrators, despite whatever appears on Maryam Rajavi’s website. One thing that Goldie Ghamari pointed out was that their flag still has enough islamic symbology on it, making it as hated as the current Iranian flag

      One litmus test that Armin Navabi suggested for any Iranian group wanting to come to power was to look at its relationship w/ the US and particularly Israel. On that score, only Reza Pahlavi passes. MEK’s relationship w/ Israel is still murky, given that they’ve had support from the Taliban, the Gulf countries, among others. In fact, he noted that the only silver lining about the 1979 revolution was that the MEK wasn’t the party that came to power, or else, Iran’s condition today would be even worse

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