Iranian students flooded the streets and campus today, December 7th, 2009. See the videos below for live coverage.
Dear All,
This window is dedicated to the brave Iranian students who came out today on Students Day in large numbers to make it clear that their protests to the June general election, and the way it has been handled by the government, are far from over. With security forces everywhere, including the entrance to hospitals, peaceful unarmed protesters were subjected to teargas, pepper gas, physical assault and arrest. The government of Iran had extended the religious holiday of Ghadir in the hope that the students would return to their home towns and today’s protests would remain small. The scope and intensity of the demonstrations, however, made it clear that many students did not take advantage of the offer. Furthermore, many non-students joined them in their protests. In this clip, Amir Kabir Students open the door and let in the outside protesters into the university:
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Protests Continue Amidst Arrests
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Incoming reports, limited to eyewitness accounts, and short clips taken by cell phones and posted on youtube, indicate that the protests continued in many cities in Iran, amidst arrests and attacks, into the afternoon and early evening hours. The most common slogan addressed to the members of the Revolutionary Guards militia, the Basij, was “How much money do you get to wield that baton?” This particular clip was taken from facebook and posted on the NIAC website: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=105011899516362.
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Locations of the Student Protests
The Iranian government suspended the permits of the foreign press momentarily so they could not report the student protests of today. Perhaps they would have been wiser to permit proper reporting. Below there are clips of student demonstrations across Iran. Pieced together, they picture an ominous future for the regime which seems unable to overcome its state of denial of the reality. I could have added many more clips.
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Tehran University:
Ilam University:
Karaj University:
Tabriz University:
Mashhad Azad University:
Streets of Tehran:
Streets of Tehran:
Khajeh Naseer University:
Elm o San’at University:
Elm o San’at University:
Elm o San’at University:
Amir Kabir University:
Amir Kabir University:
Sharif University:
Kerman University:
Isfahan University:
Qazvin University:
Gilan University:
Hormoszgan University:
Honar Unviersity:
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Here are some more, available on Facebook:
Tehran University: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=105011899516362.
Tehran Azad University: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=104953809521406&ref=mf.
Beheshti University: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=104960846187369&ref=mf.
Mashhad University: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=104944512855669&ref=mf.
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Toronto Laser Show in Support of Iran Protests
* Some major cities in the world predicted the events of today and expressed solidarity with Iranian protesters. Let me share the video of a beautiful modern art work that the Canadians made to express their support for these protesters and the Green Movement as a whole.
* A high-power green laser projected on the Sky dome/Rogers Center to bring awareness to the current situation in Iran . Thousands of residents of Toronto were able to see the projections from their apartments, homes and on the streets below. Watch it all the way (approximately six minutes) with the speakers on to hear the music:
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Zahrah Rahnavard, Mousavi’s Wife, attacked Outside Tehran University
* Today’s demonstrations were used by government forces to make targeted attacks. Among these was an attack with pepper spray on Zahra Rahnavard, the wife of the presidential candidate Mir Hussein Mousavi. Rahnavard, whose eye sight has been effected, is in hospital.
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Mousavi’s Youth Campaign Organizer Arrested
* Another victim of the police was Mohamad Ja’far Tahmasebi, the cultural coordinator of the student organization affiliated with Mr. Mousavi’s campaign. He was arrested today while protesting with fellow students in Tehran.
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Faezeh Hashemi Among the Students
* On the positive side, the student protesters were visited by Faezeh Hashemi, one time representative of Tehran in the Majlis, and daughter of the two times president Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani. She was warmly recieved and thanked by the demonstrators:
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Students of Iranian Descent in Holland
* Before closing this special window, I am going to turn to another struggle the Iranian students have been facing in another part of the world.
* Court Hearing in case of Iranian Students, 10 December 2009: Since July 2008, the Dutch Government has banned Iranian citizens, as well as Dutch citizens of Iranian descent, from parts of certain university graduate programs. In addition, five locations have been designated as forbidden for the latter group. This measure is presumably meant to avoid the ‘proliferation of sensitive information. Iranian students have been objecting to this ban arguing that securing any information can be perfectly achieved without such a discriminatory measure.
* The Campaign of Iranian Students has taken legal actions against the Dutch government, and the case will soon appear before the court. Although the initial assessments are promising, the students have asked for public support, especially in the form of their presence during the court hearing. The court hearing is scheduled on Thursday, the 10th of December at 10:30 am at the Palace of Justice in The Hague.
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Put Your Gun Down!
* There are reports that at least one student has died in Iran today. One can only hope that the Iranian authorities see the reality of the situation and realize that violence will not calm the struggle for reform in Iran. I was looking for a piece of art that would heal the sadness caused by today’s events, and I thought of the Iranian master vocalist Mohamad Reza Shajarian. He has a song based on lyrics by the celebrated contemporary poet Fereidun Moshiri. The refrain to this song, which Mr. Shajarian dedicated to the Green Movement in Iran reads: “Put your gun down!” It is the most fitting piece to end this window:
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Please remember to share the website https://windowsoniran.wordpress.com/ with friends.
Good Night,
Fatemeh
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Fatemeh Keshavarz, Professor and Chair
Dept. of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures
Washington University in St. Louis
Honorary Co-Chair, Iranians For Peace
Tel: (314) 935-5156
Fax: (314) 935-4399
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Windows on Iran 