Rage against vote rigging

Photo essay: Iranians in Los Angeles support protests in Iran

by Sara Zahabiyoun
15-Jun-2009
 
Los Angeles - Thousands of protesters, including students on visas from Iran and concerned Iranian Americans, gathered at the Federal Building on Wilshire Avenue on Sunday as a part of a worldwide protest against the rigged presidential election in Iran. Iran announced Saturday that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected president with 63 percent of the vote, defeating Mir Hossein Mousavi and Sheikh Karoubi and Mr. Rezaei. The margin of victory was greeted with skepticism and protests in the Islamic state and throughout the world. In Iran, the government has cracked down on protesters and has tried to stop the media from reporting on the unrest. In Westwood, protesters with varying political view gathered to unite against fraud and shouted both in English and Farsi phrases such as: "Where are our votes?", "Count our votes!", "Death to Taleban, both in Kabol and in Tehran", "Democracy for Iran", "Freedom for Everyone". The crowd gathered at the Federal Building, across the street from the Los Angeles National Cemetery and around the corner from the Little Tehran neighborhood, a strip of Westwood Boulevard that has become the retail center of the large population of Iranians in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and the San Fernando Valley. Protesters stretched down Wilshire Boulevard from the Federal Building to Veteran Avenue, where police kept order. No arrests were reported. "We believe that there has been major fraud in this election, and demand re-election supervised by United Nations representatives", said several of the student group representatives that organized the event. This peaceful protest ended by recital of the most famous patriotic Iranian song "Ey Iran".
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false prophet

by concerned iranian (not verified) on

Have followed this guy's tweets on twitter (twitter.com/protesterhelp). Apparently, he is a well meaning hacker, but is only 18 years old and has made bad judgment calls stridently declaring what online sources & info are right/wrong. Please don't trust this source. Read here (a public apology for him having made mistakes in denouncing others):

//pastebay.com/23797


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Message from Iran

by Abbass (not verified) on

The internet connection is extremely slow these days. People say the government has decreased the bandwidth to limit communications. Yahoo messenger, MSN, text messaging, facebook, twitter, youtube and all reformist and netoworking websites are filtered. (I just got to briefly log in to facebook last night with a "filtershekan"). Even mobile phone networks (cellphones) are turned off at nights. So, all my apologies if you didn't get a reply from me.

A lot is happening right now. We are pushing back and some people hear us around the world. Those sitting outside and supporting Hamas and Hesbollah, Ahmadynejad's close friends rather than supporting their own people who suffer should be ashamed. Those who do nothing for Iran but wait for us to give our blood so that they can go back should be ashamed. We need support.

There are rallies every day. Since there is no communication system available, rallies are organized by word of mouth from one event to the other, and then by phone calls, and strangers just telling you to show up as they pass you by or as you are waiting behind red lights. Yesterday, it was supposed to be from Enghelab to Azadi, but it literally started at Emam Hossein sq (Fooziyeh) and spread all the way to Ekabatan. The number of protesters should be estimated in the millions. They were from every layer of society. Southern Tehranis, Northern rich kids, Chaadoris, Ghertis, Hezbollahi, young, old, kids. etc. A huge sample of the Iranian nation, with all its diversity, was there determined to make a change. They are feel betrayed and insulted. Helicopters were flying over our heads to assess the crows. People would wave at them and whistle and making sure they were seen so that they report their presence to the authorities (or authority).

The radio and TV warned people all day long not to attend, as the rally didn't have the "permission from the Ministry of Interior" and warned of serious consequences if it took place, but no one cared. Everybody went. The "Yegaan vijeh" (anti-riot police) first tried to intimidate people as they were gathering, but the immensity of the crowd then made them back up and hide in a nearby police station. Today, the rally is supposed to be at Meydoon Vali Asr. There are words that the next one will be in front of Sedaa o Sima (National TV station).

Yesterday the rally was calm and peaceful until the crowd started to disperse at the end. Then the "Lebaas shakhsi" (armed thugs without uniform) and some anti-riot units showed up with more confidence. They started a fire in one corner of Azadi to attract and entrap the most enthusiastic of protesters, then started firing tear gas and shooting. I didn't see it myself, but I heard that a man was shot in the eye. The shooters disappeared.

Chants were all either conducted against Ahmadinejad or in support of Moussavi. Nothing more "sensitive" than that. It's what I call "smart protest". People are extremely vigilant about what to say: Khas o khaashaak toyi, doshman-e in khaak toyi (referring to Ahmadinejad calling protesters khas o khashaak), Dorooghgoo, shast o seh darsadet koo? Ey Mahmoud-e bichaareh, baaz ham begoo FOOTBALLEH (referring to Ahmadinejad assimilating protests to high emotions after a football match), Gofteh boodim agar taghalob besheh, Iran ghiyaamat misheh (people chanted agar taghabol besheh Iran ghiyaamat misheh during the campaign. Yesterday, they had just added "gofteh boodim" to it). Moussavi Raees jomhoureh Iran. Estafaa Estafaa. Marg bar dictator, cheh shaah baasheh cheh Doctor. Rayeh maaro dozdideh, baa rayeh maa poz mideh. Haaleyeh nooro dideh, raayeh maaro nadideh. Some chants were a little more "personal" and a bit more offensive to Ahmadinejad.

Moussavi, Khatami, Mohamad Reza Khatami, Karbaschi, Masjed Jamei, Abtahi, Karoubi all showed up. I missed Moussavi's speech but Abtahi was just a few meter away from where we were. People cheered them a lot.

Apart from rallies, people cry "Allah o Akbar" every night around 9pm from rooftops and cars (Well, it is supposed to be 9pm, but Iranians are always late. So they really start around 9:30). There are also sporadic riots and tire burning in town. Night riots are much more violent. Sa'adat abaad, Shahran, Yousef abad are some of the hottest corners. Universities are really tense too. Police and thugs have already stormed dorms a couple of times and seriously wounded students. As for casualties, all we hear is rumors. I can't confirm any. But it seems that about 7 to 8 people have already been killed in Tehran. I don't know about other cities. One thing that I can tell with certainty, is that people are really determined. They all say there is no stop to this until they get results: Taa Ahmadinejaadeh, har rooz hamin basaateh! (They chant, and they mean it). People have started to wear green again.

Girls are extremely active in all these rallies (A little less in night riots where patches of young men are more visible). They courageously charge anti-riot police, chant slogans in front of them, lead the crowd etc. but they are equally beaten too. The police seems to have no limit in the use of force. They are disproportionately violent. They don't use fire weapons but they don't go easy on you with their clubs. They literally beat up protesters to death if they don't get rescued by fellow protesters or somehow break away and run. The level of brutality is exceptional but it is amazing to see how people stand up to them. I heard from many witnesses that thugs were brought by bus from smaller cities to assist police in the crackdown. Someone told me he saw them at the East Terminal around Azadi. He said they are the kinds of people who even beat each other on their spare time.

I don't know how today's rally will go, but I estimate a huge number to show up, which will neutralize police presence and their violence. I estimate that more people will show up today compared to yesterday. The word is that everyone should wear black with green bracelets or scarfs. The good thing about Vali Asr square is that it is right in "downtown" Tehran. It would be such a show of force by people. The national TV can't just keep ignoring it. (Not one single word of yesterday's rally was reported last night, except a really short footage showing Mir Hossein standing on his car to talk to his "supporters" that "contest" the results. The camera didn't zoom out one bit to show the immensity of the crowd that were there for much more than than).

Pray for protesters and for the country. Your support means a lot, as people happily tell each other how Iranians abroad are gathering around embassies to support them. Internet sites are filtered here, so please inform people inside of events and rallies by email if you hear of any. I testify with confidence that this is the most authentic, grassroots and beautiful movement from the people, by the people and for the people. No outside force, no money, no conspiracy is involved. It's all about people telling each other were to gather next time, pledge to show up and keep their promise. There is a spirit of fraternity, determination, resistance, courage, solidarity and generosity that no word can describe. I thank God to have seen this in my lifetime and I wouldn't trade it for the world.


Majid

Sabz

by Majid on

 

I wasn't there, so I can't say thousand (s) or 100-150 but pic # 36 says there were more than 100-150 Max, don't you think?

 

  


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w4green

by Anonymous123456789 (not verified) on

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0PjlFpodwU
dar rabete ba trajedie iran


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Constipated Old Fart Clerics

by KayvanNYC (not verified) on

The comment that after 5 days this revolution is over is naive.

The '79 revolution started in January of '78 and went in fits and starts until Feb. '79 when the Shah fell. The actual crowds were not that big in the beginning and the total deaths were under 2,000. Not the bloddbath everyone requires.

There has to be many more deaths, rage and mis-steps...which I am sure will come from these cleric clowns.

In addition, they will recycle many leaders along the way.

Keep in mind the original revolutionaries proped up many interim leaders from Baktiar, Bazargan, to Bani Sadr, and even killed some Ayatollahs too.....they didnt just show up in '78 and say here is an old-fart constipated Cleric who replaces your super-star Shah.....

Same will happen here. They start with Mousavi with his Western open collar Brooks Borthers shirt and OK hair-cut. Next they will upgrade to a Charismatic guy, and when its done, if you are a Cleric you better head for the Mountains....as you days are numbered.

Sit back, this Genie is out of the bottle.


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Sign the petition

by Areyo Barzan (not verified) on

Ask for international arrest warrant on Khamene-e and his gang of thugs

 

Just go to the following link and sign the petition

 

//www.petitiononline.com/akcriems/petition.html

 

As a patriot Iranian this is your national duty


IRANdokht

Re: Sabz

by IRANdokht on

I think you showed up at 10:00 and saw the first group. You should have stayed longer...  Everybody poured in after 11 and by 1 PM when they asked us to leave there was more than a few hundreds just on one side of the street.

IRANdokht


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Love the guy with the face paint

by Dariush K. (not verified) on

He's made it look like he's ultra patriotic painting his entire face in Iran's colors, but we really know it's just an ideal opportunity to ensure he won't be recognised on camera, pics, etc. by regime officials. Pretty clever nonetheless.


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Hi Sorry to disappoint

by sabz (not verified) on

Hi
Sorry to disappoint everyone, I was in westwood on SUN ...I have to say max between 100-150 people demonstrated.. Not Thousands etc...
Unfortunately must of them with 'reza pahlavi' pic and flag with shir o khorshid anyhow they support reza and they are for change of regime etc.. .
in my opinion right now is crucial to protest JUST for what happen in Iran during last few days and support young an students etc...The hard liner should not label those young supporting reza pahlavi and US etc..


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Operation Twits

by AnonymousXYZ (not verified) on

//www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica...

This one may turn out to have cost even less that Operation Ajax ...


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hey i support the protesters too

by Amirrostam2 (not verified) on

I send a lot of e-mails and post a lot of messages too. Give me a break, what are we other than spectators? We are nothing but hypocrites.


IRANdokht

Thank you sara

by IRANdokht on

for the great pictures.

somehow the crowd looks smaller in the pics though...

IRANdokht


IRANdokht

Re: Persian Paladin

by IRANdokht on

The reason we were there on Sunday was to show solidarity with the Iranians and particularly with the Iranian students. 

A large number of protesters were UCLA students and many had their faces covered. When I asked a couple of them why they were wearing the green cloth over their faces, they told me that they go back to Iran on a regular basis.

Showing support for the ones who are facing the chomagh and bullets is not the same as accepting IR's establishment, even though both sides of the election dispute are IRI supporters. This is about people who voted and claim that their votes were not counted and they're being silenced brutally.

Regardless of my own political views, I will speak up against violence and resent to be called an "ignorant dupe".

Thank you 

IRANdokht


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These protestors are ignorant dupes

by Persian Paladin (not verified) on

What angers me is that the Iranian diaspora in the West have helped precipitate this media attention and hype over the election protests and riots. They have an inherent misunderstanding of Iranian politics as well as how candidates are selected and who their true alliances are. All of these rioters are just being used by an internal power ... Read Morestruggle between members of the conservative clerical elite. There are NO reformers vying for power here and the protestors are just accepting the merchandise of false promises and deception.

"Iran is not a pure democracy of course: the Guardians Council chose the four candidates from hundreds who sought to run; and real power lies with Ayatollah Khamene'i, not with the President."

Iran needs to change its Constitution.

//mideasti.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-mousavi-...

NO candidate in the Iranian elections supports the reform of the Religious Council. The Supreme Leader will be in charge, whoever gets in. This Moussavi guy is corrupt anyway, particularly since he is allied with that scumbag Rafsanjani and his rich cleric friends. So, please explain yourselves and why the hell you are protesting!! There is no evidence the election was fraudulent, and to create such a needless commotion will just play into the hands of the hawks in Washington wanting to demonize the Iranian regime to the point of closing off all trade and diplomacy. That is NOT in the interests of the Iranian people, and the fact is that the majority voted for Ahmadinijad because he did some good things for them.

What Iranians need to do is to sit down and create a gradual mature forum for discussion on creating a Constitution that will gradually remove the need for a Guardians Council or "Supreme Leader". This does not require a revolution; but an internal willingness to debate and culture for liberal dialogue. Sudden and violent revolutions always fail; as we have seen in the example of 1979.


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to Nifky

by bullcrap (not verified) on

You don't get it and never will. Bush did not WIN the election. He stole it. AH did not WIN the election. HE stole it. Mousavi did not lose. Thanks god that those brave young hamvatans in Iran don't agree with you. But it doesn't really matter what you, or I even, think. It is THEIR future and THEIR life they need to consider. I am so proud of THEM!


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Thanks you Arash-1970

by SaraZ (not verified) on

The events are usually posted on Facebook or forwarded through email. If you like you can send me your email address. I will keep you posted with the latest event. Next event will be this Wednesday in OC:

Peaceful Persian Protest in Orange County. This Wednesday June 17th in the City of Irvine. Starts at 5pm Sharp on the Corner of Jamboree & Barranca Pkwy. All Television News Channels Have Been Informed. Please Copy This and Forward to Everyone on Facebook and Your Email. Let's All Come Together And Support All The Iranians Fighting For All Of Our Rights In IRAN!

PLEASE BRING SIGNS!!!!!!!


Mehdi

How the US could help iran now

by Mehdi on


I think Obama should immediately remove sanctions against Iran! That is the best way the Iranian people will be helped. That would give great support to those who want change in Iran. It will make their case very valid. Once the perceived threat of war is gone, the regime will have no leg to stand on for its persecutions and oppressions.

Obama should also immediately ask for talks for the purpose of resolving animosity between Iran and US. These two actions will be a very effective blow to stupidity and ignorance and will remove the sources of oppression from the positions of power. 

NIAC war right, working on normalizing Iran-US relationship is the most effective way to help people in Iran.


capt_ayhab

must see letter

by capt_ayhab on


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all you anti IR

by Nifky (not verified) on

All of you anti IR dogs, stop soozeh'ing because its too funny.

Listen, in 2000 when Gore lost to Bush, were there violent riots? Did people act like hooligans? NO, they dealt with it. Mousavi supporters should accept they lost and live with it. Just like civilized Americans accepted that Bush won the election against Gore and lived with it.


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How to Help So you want to

by moo (not verified) on

How to Help
So you want to help Iran, but you're not actually in Iran? here's what you can do to help (Focused on twitter, since that's where the infowar is occurring.
Change your location and time zone on Twitter to Tehran, Iran (that's GMT+3:30
Change your profile icon to green in some way.
Set up a proxy. and send a DM to @ProtesterHelp. On Windows, do this and on Linux do this. On Mac, do this (NOTE: These will be reposted here soon to save bandwidth)
DO NOT retweet posts verbatim from Iran. This puts the users at risk. The Iranian Minstry of the Interior is watching Twitter closely now. Don't use names and reword the post.
Submit e-mails to CNN, MSNBC, Fox and other news sources about the Iranian Revolution- demand more coverage
DO NOT DDOS (PageReload) Iranian government websites. It slows all Iranian traffic, doing more harm than good in this information war.
What do we want?
Remove Khamenei from supreme leader
Remove Ahmadinejad because he took it forcefully and unlawfully
Put Ayatollah Monazeri as supreme leader until a review of the constitution is set up
Recognize Mousavi as official president
Let Mousavi rule as the constitution is reformed
Free all political prisoners, immediately
Call off all secret militia and offices
Who hosts this
emsenn
Who runs it?
@ProtesterHelp. I am an American, living in America (despite what my twitter profile says), and have decided to do my part to help the Green Revolution by posting my advice on how to safely protest against such a strange enemy (the Besiji). I also have several sources inside and around Iran, and tweet verified events as well. I also provide proxy information to Iranian citizens. See the top line of this page for information on the current status on me, my server, and why I might be silent on twitter. And please, share this link to help raise awareness not just of what is going on, but how you can help. I WILL NOT TURN IN SOURCES TO MEDIA, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. PLEASE, STOP WORRYING. AND MEDIA, STOP ASKING
//emsenn.com/iran.php


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numbers

by sepide (not verified) on

Hundreds maybe not thousands.


Arash_1970

Thank you Sara

by Arash_1970 on

Thank you Sara for sharing this with us.I wish I knew about this and would have been there myself.It's good to see that Iranians in Los Angeles are taking a stand.Everyone in Iran pictures us with a violin or tonbak going to concerts. Were any of the Iranian artists present there ? Any directors of LA baed Iranian Television Shows? I saw the good old faithful Naderi Nejad in the pictures.Any one else ? We should post future rallies dates on Iranian.com or another site so everyone knows about them.Many of us don't always follow the events in Iran via LA based low qualitity Iranian medias.


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Possibil Civil War?

by 1 Hamvatan (not verified) on

Actually, The possibilities are high at this moment and I had predicted that while back in this site, before election, becuase,
mainly the assaults, executions, imprisonments, on the people of Zahedan and vicinity has caused a great anger for the people in that area and they are now armed (Jandallaha) as well. along with today's reactions to the results of fake election people may try to united and access to arms, and it can easily cause a erupting fire in the country. I know it is a grim pictures, but that what 30 years of anger does to people of any nation.


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you will hear of wars and rumors of wars

by CivilWar (not verified) on

Iran is now in danger of falling into a civil war. I wonder how the Diaspora Iranians feel about that.

Pros and cons anyone?


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wrong for me to be silent

by 1 Hamvatan (not verified) on

"It would be wrong for me to be silent on what we've seen on the television the last few days," Obama told reporters at the White House.