Iran saw its most serious violence since the mass protests of the early summer today when the annual al-Quds Day rally led to clashes between loyalist hardliners and supporters of the opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Reports from Tehran said that Mr Mousavi himself had been forced to flee the rally after supporters of the regime attacked his car. That incident followed an assault on another leading reformist, the former president Mohammad Khatami, who was reportedly knocked to the ground.
Security forces had warned of a crackdown if the opposition tried to take advantage of the al-Quds Day rally – which was originally the brainchild of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini – to resume protests against President Ahmadinejad’s re-election in June.
The government had encouraged Tehranis to leave the city for the long weekend and was reportedly planning to bus in thousands of supporters from rural areas, following a pattern set in the aftermath of the contested election.
Defying the warning – and despite fresh evidence of the level of violence being used by the Islamic regime to quash dissent – tens of thousands of people joined the rally wearing green accessories, recognisable to all as Mr Mousavi’s campaign colours.
Many chanted his name and demanded the release of political prisoners detained in post-election protests. They also chanted “Don’t be afraid, we are all together” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I will sacrifice myself for Iran,” a witness said.
Fistfights were reported as well as an attack by plain-clothed hardliners on motorbikes, who beat protesters with batons.
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‘Torture, murder and rape’ — Iran’s way of breaking the opposition
God Bless Neda!
Somebody should arrest “Binjy” as soon as he hits the west and turn him over to UN courts. In no way should he be welcomed to free country shores.
It’s the very least we can do for Nada.
“Also” — I don’t not know why but Youtube has killed many of the video’s that Iranians have produced including the best that featured Nada. At last view it was over 3 million hits.
So what’s with that? Obama didn’t like it?
Send me it in a link and up it goes — again. Nada is worth more to me than a thousand “Binjy’s” and I’m NOT Youtube.
Point: Iranians are fighting for freedom and thugs are getting in the way. Time for that to end.
Although I agree with you about the sick theocracy in Iran and the urgent need for their tyranny to end, I believe Iran (and the rest of the fertile crescent for that matter) will be better off if Obama keeps his nose out of their business. What a shining example Iran could be if they put an end to the rule of mad mullahs and throw that guy who needs a shave into jail for stuffing ballot boxes!
Western nations are still cleaning up the mess from the last time we tried to impose western standards onto Muslim theocracies. It’s much, much better if the citizens themselves take back their nation for themselves.