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Thursday
Nov052009

UPDATED Iran's New 13 Aban: A First-Hand Account from the Streets

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IRAN 4 NOV 6Our newest EA correspondent, Mr Azadi, was involved with events through 13 Aban inside Iran. This is his running summary of the day:

Students were being beaten in front of the Qods Gates (East Gate) of Tehran University. Girls were in the front of the line while boys were in the back so they would not be beaten as easily or detained. They sang, "Death to the Dictator". The situation in Amir Kabir University was very tense, but despite the security measures and cameras, people continued to protest. The security agencies and police's struggle to suppress the demonstration was unsuccessful.

The Amir Kabir students left the university to join the crowd. At Nejatollahi, Iranshahr, Kheradmand, Azodi, Beh Afarin and Hafez Streets, the presence of anti-riot police and plainclothes forces could be felt. The crowd’s movement at Vali-e Asr and Hafte Tir Square confused the guards, however, to the point where they are constantly running between the two squares

The riot police and security forces used batons and animalistic beatings and doused women and young girls with pepper spray. They arrested those videotaping the events. Yet all their drastic actions did not stop people from their protests, as they continued towards the Russian Embassy.

The clashes with the police and plainclothes forces in Tehran University and Enghelab and 7 Tir Squares were ongoing. Police forces shot into the air to disperse the protestors, but there were protests in the streets around Tehran University, Amir Kabir University, Vali Asr Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, and North Amir Abad.. In North Maftah Street, at the top of the Modarres Expressway, many women and girls were detained. People who gathered in the alleys were attacked by Special Forces on motorcycles who beat them fiercely with batons. Trying to stop the protestants from chanting "Down with the Dictator" and "Down with Russia", the police were using speakers on their Toyotas to shout, "Down with USA", "Death to Hypocrites", and " Death to Israel ". In return, protesters hooted and chanted, "Death to the Dictator and Russia" and ”Until Ahmadinejad is gone, every day is the same game".

In Azadi Square, Azadi and Jamazadeh streets, the anti-riot and basiji were beating people brutally. Many women and girls were detained, and many young people and women were injured and taken by Tehran Emergency Ambulances to Khomeini Hospital.
In the area around Karim Khan street, mobile phones were interrupted for several hours. Underground stations in Hafte-Tir, Taleqani, Mofateh, and Darvazeh Doulat were closed to prevent more people from entering the area.

The clashes in Vali-e Asr and Fatemi were also very severe. A large group of people marched on Vali-e Asr street from south to north, chanting, “Death to the Dictator” and “Death to Khamenei". The military forces attacked them with batons and tear gas, injuring a lot of the protesters. The demonstrators ran to nearby alleys and tried to help, but around 500 people were injured in this violent attack. A lot of people were seriously poisoned by tear gas, and the streets surrounding the area were blocked by Basiji and military forces.

At Beheshti and Motahari Streets and Keshavarz Boulevard, people were shot by plastic bullets which were red-colored, spreading the ink as soon as they hit protestors. This tactic was to make people think that they were bleeding, spreading panic.

Around 5:00pm, an increasing number of people started marching along Motahari Street. Young people were chanting, “Death to the Dictator,” “Obama, either with them or with us", and “Khamenei is a murderer, his leadership is not valid”, and "Ahmadi is a traitor”.
The anti-riot police attacked people violently with batons. A number of people were injured and their heads and faces covered with blood. Many people were arrested and transferred to unknown locations. After the attack, people gathered in groups of 10 to 10 and cried out various slogans. Whenever one group was attacked, they spread out and formed other groups in different places. The protests were continuing as of 7:30 p.m. with people refusing to leave despite the widespread arrests and brutal attacks.

In Vali-e Asr Street, the crowd was endless. The police did not seem to be able to handle people. Heavy traffic moved towards Taleghani Street, and a large wave of people moved from Karimkhan and Hafez to Hafte Tir Square. Use of tear gas was reported; the people have captured and beat an anti-riot police official and started chanting, "Down with the Dictator" and "Khamenei is a Killer, his leadership is a void.

There were ongoing severe conflicts in Enghelab Square. The police beat people savagely in Enghelab and Azadi Streets and Enghelab Square. People gathered near Vanak Sqaure and were constantly attached by the riot police, as others opened their homes to offer refuge to protesters.

Based on the latest reports from Tehran (midnight local time), the military and the anti- riot forcesare in the main squares and streets.The sound of ALLAHU AKBAR can be heard from parts of the city and around the University of Tehran and Vali-e Asr and Vanak Squares. People are chanting slogans here and there.

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