U.S. Activist Sparks Outrage After Anti-American Speech at Martyrs’ Ceremony in Tehran

Image: Jihad Watch

Calla Walsh, a 20-year-old activist from Boston and co-founder of Palestine Action US, has stirred intense controversy following a fiery speech delivered during a martyr memorial event held in Tehran on Wednesday. Speaking to an audience sympathetic to Iran-aligned militant causes, Walsh passionately declared, “Glory to all the martyrs, glory to the axis of resistance. May we see victory within our lifetimes. Death to America!”

Her remarks, which included an explicit call for America’s demise, have ignited a firestorm of criticism from across the political spectrum. Observers and commentators condemned the speech as dangerously inflammatory and anti-American, with many expressing concern over the growing radicalism among far-left activists within the United States.

Walsh, who openly identifies as a communist and is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has built a reputation for her unapologetically militant activism. She is known for her unyielding opposition to U.S. foreign policy and vocal support for Palestinian armed resistance. Her endorsement of the “Axis of Resistance”—a term used to describe the Iran-backed alliance comprising groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and other militias opposing Israel and Western influence in the Middle East—has been a consistent theme in her political messaging.

In a June 2025 post on X (formerly Twitter), Walsh proclaimed: “Long live the Axis of Resistance, may US-Zionist imperialism be wiped off the face of this earth.” The post also included her public mourning for Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas commander believed to have orchestrated the deadly October 7, 2023, assault on Israeli civilians. Sinwar, a central figure in Hamas’s military operations, was reportedly killed earlier this year in an Israeli counter-strike, drawing praise from Israeli and Western officials but grief and adulation from pro-Hamas activists like Walsh.

Her appearance in Tehran and her endorsement of martyrdom and violent resistance come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Iranian proxies continue to clash with U.S. and Israeli forces. Critics argue that Walsh’s statements amount to support for terrorist organizations and incitement against her own country.

As the controversy grows, questions are being raised about the role of U.S.-based activist groups that align themselves with foreign adversaries. While Walsh and her supporters view their actions as expressions of solidarity with oppressed peoples, opponents warn that such rhetoric undermines national security and promotes extremist violence under the guise of social justice.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)