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| Iran |
| Iranian authorities switch tactics with protestors |
| 2003-06-17 |
| Faced with a string of virulent anti-regime protests in Tehran, Iranian authorities appear to be switching tactics by offering a detente to the nocturnal demonstrators while pinning blame on "thugs" and old arch-foe the United States. And so far at least, the mix of repression and appeasement of the thousands of protestors — who have seen vigilantes go on rampages of beatings and then being arrested — appears to be bearing fruit. Overnight Sunday, thousands of residents again turned out in their cars and converged around Tehran university's campus, the epicenter of a student-led movement which is challenging the foundations of the clerical regime. But gone were the scenes of running battles with hardline vigilantes from the Basij militia and Ansar Hezbollah group — fierce defenders of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as well as the accompanying tensions. Protestors stayed largely confined to their cars, and were allowed to drive around the campus under the watchful eye of thousands of police. The honking of horns and shouting of slogans were not allowed, and the evening largely passed off peacefully. Basij members also appeared to be under strict instructions not to inflame tensions. They were out and about on their motorcycles, but their chains, guns and knives were kept out of sight. Several vigilantes were detained. Anti-riot police were also largely replaced by police in civilian clothes, who were armed with aerosol cannisters — thought to contain either pepper spray or spray paint to mark offending cars. The result was a rather muted drive around. Authorities hope to convince residents that they are better off going to bed. Kind of along the lines of "What if they held a protest and nobody noticed?". Interesting tactic. Nevertheless, a top police commander told the official news agency IRNA that 30 "miscreants and hooligans" were arrested overnight Sunday. The agency also said arrests over the past few days numbered 109. And as protests reportedly spread from the heart of Tehran to the provincial cities of Mashhad and Tabriz, those were also blamed on just a few "hooligans" in the pay of the United States and keen to exploit the student concerns. Meanwhile, the foreign ministry announced it had sent a "vigorous protest" to Washington over its "interference" in Iran's internal affairs, in a letter conveyed through the Swiss embassy here that represents US interests. US President George W. Bush Sunday voiced his support for the latest demonstrations — the first in Iran for six months — judging them as "positive" while slamming a sometimes brutal crackdown. But by emphasising such comments, Iran's leaders have given a clear message that fresh protests would be considered as "counter-revolutionary". Behind the scenes, arrests also continued: the judiciary announced the detention of several dissident intellectuals, including journalist Mohsen Sazegara and his son Vahid who were picked up on Sunday. The head of the suspended pro-reform paper Golestan, Amin Bozorgian, was also detained. A liberal opposition group announced Monday that a third member of its leadership, Hoda Saber, was among those arrested, while the Iran newspaper said student leader Mojtaba Najafi was taken away by plainclothes men late Sunday. In a statement, the higher education ministry spelled out the message, by ordering students "to separate themselves from those who are in the pay of foreign powers". According to the statement, the foreign media "have launched a propaganda campaign against our homeland, and are trying to create trouble and undermine our national security". |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 ap reports protests continue "About 300 people demonstrated in an eastern neighborhood of Tehran on Tuesday. But they dispersed after anti-riot police and militants gathered. In Gohardasht, about 25 miles to the west, some 700 demonstrators were attacked by anti-riot police and militants, a witness said" |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2003-06-17 21:25:08 |