A Report on the Oppressive Forces’ Fear

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A Report on the Oppressive Forces’ Fear and Terror

Today was another day when the government forces who were present from Azadi to Imam Hossein feared the people who were only walking in the streets in silence.

At 2:30 PM (Tehran Time), we started to walk from Azadi (Square). At each intersection, particularly the main ones like Shadman, Khosh, Roudaki, they had placed anti-riot police armed with batons. The parking of Greater Tehran police station on Azadi Stret was full of vans and armed vehicles. As we approached Enqelab, the number of security and plainclothes forces grew larger.

Around Enqelab Square was also full of anti-riot and plainclothes forces who were controlling the traffic of people. Anti-riot forces were standing in two lines, one facing the street, the other facing the pedestrians who were on the sidewalks. Both sides of the street were filled with people who had come to protest in silence.

Unlike previous days, where the police would controlled the pedestrian overpass, there were three or four plainclothes agents stationed there in order to arrest anyone who would take pictures or films of the security forces. However, people were aware of their presence and were advising one another against any indiscretion.

There were also a few women who were searching women’s handbags. A lady, angered by the invasion of privacy, walked toward them screaming “Who are you, and how dare you search my bag?” The two female agents, visibly terrified, were asking her to quiet down but she continued to yell in order to inform people.

We went toward Valiasr where the entire area surrounding Shahr Theater was filled with anti-riot police sitting on their motorcycles, and plainclothes individuals who were controlling the crowd. The number of forces in this area exceeded around 400. More than 20 Special Unit vehicles, four buses, five mini-buses, and eight mini-vans which had brought the forces to the area were parked around Daneshjoo Park. The forces were so terrified that they would stop the taxi cabs and force people in them. Nevertheless, people had no intention of leaving and the streets were still very crowded.

The anti-riot police and plainclothes agents were navigating and maneuvering in the street on motorcycles or by cars. They had clogged all the side streets usually used by demonstrators as a refuge when attacked by government forces. People passing by were saying that such shows of force by the government is a sign of how much Ashoura’s protests had terrified and threatened the government.

- Siavosh, Persian2English

Human Rights and Democracy Activist of Iran (December 31, 2009)