Ashura updates:Eyewitness reports
PBS
27-Dec-2009

We went at 10:30 a.m. to Villa Street in central Tehran. Anti-riot guards were standing on Hafez Bridge and throwing stones down at honking cars and people. Protesters had set two police motorcycles on fire.

We joined a group of protesters, a thousand or so, and began walking toward Valiasr Square. Religious types were also present. We passed a police station [kalantari] and the police watched us pass by. But as soon as we were past, they fired tear gas into our midst.

At Valiasr and Enghelab, police forces attacked us. We dispersed into nearby alleys. After awhile, we heard cheering and whistling. Venturing back out, we saw that people had managed to overwhelm the police and had captured three of them, disarmed them of shield and baton, and let them go.

At about 12:30, we walked to the intersection of Valiasr and Taleghani streets, where the crowd was very thick. Here, protesters were clashing with anti-riot and police forces -- people were fighting back as well. I saw about a dozen injured protesters and injured policemen.

Further up at Valiasr Square, people had set fire to a police canister on the side of the street.

We then went to Laleh Park. Black smoke was rising from the direction of Karim Khan St. We later found out that police cars had been set on fire.

After 1:30 p.m., the Basij arrived. The violence escalated. They began beating people savagely and firing shots into the air. At that point, we left.

* * *

>>>
recommended by IranFirst

Share/Save/Bookmark