Why Iran's Protesters Won't Quit
The Daily Beast / Omid Memarian
15-Feb-2011 (one comment)

Brutal crackdowns, disguised riot police, and blocked websites weren’t enough to stop tens of thousands of Iranians from flooding the streets Monday, inspired by Egypt and Tunisia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday the U.S. “very clearly and directly” supports protesters in Iran, who took to the streets for the first time since December 2009. "What we see happening in Iran today is a testament to the courage of the Iranian people, and an indictment of the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime—a regime which over the last three weeks has constantly hailed what went on in Egypt," she said. At least one protester was shot dead in Tehran—The Guardian says opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi’s website identifies the deceased as 26-year-old student Sane Jaleh. Mousavi was placed under house arrest Monday to prevent him from attending the demonstrations.

A man in Tehran climbed a crane about five stories tall Monday, waved pictures and symbols of Iran’s green movement, and threatened to jump to his death. But police managed to arrest him before he became a martyr, like the man who set himself ablaze earlier this year, sparking Tunisia’s revolution.

The Iranian was one of tens of thousands who poured into the streets of Tehran and other cities across the country, reinvigorated by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia. But unlike Egypt and Tunisia, Monday was Round 3 for Iran’s protesters, whom authorities thought they had silenced through i... >>>

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vildemose

""This is a similar story to

by vildemose on Tue Feb 15, 2011 02:24 PM PST

""This is a similar story to the 2009 demonstrations when I attended several rallies. The tactics are the same: Build "walls" of Niroohaye Entezami along with their vehicles to block entrance to major roads; divert people to side streets in order to stop large groups gathering momentum; plant groups of plain clothes agents amongst protesters; radio basijis on motorbikes guiding them towards protesters inciting them to beat protesters remorselessly; throwing tear gas into the crowd; ram into the crowd at high speed with motor bikes; plant plain clothes agents with big lenses to take photos of the protesters in order to identify them; beat and push protesters into waiting vans. All this along with cutting off the mobile network communication, shutting down the Internet and jamming satellite TV stations are just some of the tactics the Islamic Republic use to stay in power. They say that cowards often need a lot of back up. Yes they have a lot of resources it seems but they are no more than murderous thugs; the worst kind of criminals on the face of the earth. But the winds of change are blowing. Khamenei is holding on but not for long. The brave people of Iran have shown their courage in the face of mortal danger. The regime is scared and is crumbling. The people of Iran will choose their destiny and come out victorious despite the West's support for the regime for the past 31 years.""


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