On Monday 7th December students and people in many cities of Iran came to the streets chanting slogans such as “Khamenei must know that he is soon toppled”, “Mousavi is just an excuse, the whole of the regime is the target”, and “All political prisoners must be freed”.
On this day, although the regime had threatened people and banned any protests, people came to the streets in their thousands. They were confronted by the Islamic guards. The leaders of the so called “green” Islamic movement had asked the university students to gather in the campus but refrain from chanting slogans that undermines the totality of the regime. None of these threats had any effect on the resolute attempts of the students. All over the country radical protests were carried out in universities and streets. In some cities, like Tehran the protestors were attacked by the security forces. The presence of women in all demonstrations was substantial and evident. The 7th December protest movement was even more radical than the one on 4 November, the anti-regime protest on the anniversary of hostage taking in American embassy, this year. People have shown that they are determined to overthrow the regime and establish freedom, equality and prosperity for all. The following is an excerpt from the numerous reports reaching us from Iran:
Tehran
The protests started round about 11 am. The security forces were already in place in and around the university, Engelab square and street. There were fierce attacks on the students outside the Engineering Faculty. Protestors were beaten up and tear gas thrown at them. The Basiji (Islamic guards) forces broke the windows, using the broken glass to attack the students. Outside the campus, the security forces that were afraid of escalation of the protests attacked the people who were in groups of 30-40 and dispersed them. The government forces were so afraid of people reporting the clashes that they stopped anybody carrying a mobile phone from entering the area. As a result a lot of people were arrested.
About 2pm people broke the university door and entered the campus. The campus and the streets around it (Abu Reyhan Street) were scenes of war between the protesting people and the government thugs. The security forces tried to disperse the protestors but every time the gatherings were broken, people assembled elsewhere.
Police in plain clothes together with armed forces tried to disperse the crowd at the university. They then occupied the campus and as a show of force stayed put. As a sign of solidarity with the people the drivers passing the area tooted their horns. In Engelab square, more than 50 women, teenagers and elderly were arrested. Using hoses that have steel inside them, the Basiji forces attacked the protestors. Those who could not leave the area, due to injury, were arrested. One of the tactics that the regime uses is to have special guards with dogs stationed outside the hospital buildings to arrest the injured.
The slogans chanted during the day in Tehran University, Sharif University and Amir Kabir University were:
According to reports reaching us, Engelab Street (the street where Tehran university is located) has been blocked and no one is permitted to cross it. Some reports suggest that tear gas was used on protestors in Palestine and Engelab streets. Students were arrested in Somayeh Street and taken away in bus loads. Fire engines were recruited to throw water on to the protestors.
In Haft Tir square the clashes between the protestors and the anti riot police and the Bsijis escalated. Thousands of people marched from the junction of Fakhr Razi towards Jomhoori chanting “Down with Khamene’ee”. Although the security forces had surrounded the protestors the sheer number of the latter forced the government forces to retreat. It also led to clashes in Jomhoori, Hafez and Istanbul Streets. Tear gas was thrown into the indoor shopping centres. They were then all closed. People carried on chanting “Khamene’ee must know that the end is here”, and “Mousavi is just an excuse, the totality of the regime is the target”.
At Abu Reyhan junction thousands of young students staged a protest. Young women took the lead in these protests. People chanted “Down with Khamene’ee” and “Khamene’ee is a criminal, his ruling is illegal”. People arrested one of the Basijis who had stormed into the crowd in his motorcycle. They set his bike on fire. In many sites in Tehran young women were in charge of the demonstrations. The students from Soureh educational centre left the centre and marched through the Azadi Street in front of the Ministry of Labour.
A number of Basijis who were carrying the Hezbollah flag in Khajeh Nasir University were thrown out of the university by the people.
Tehran's police chief, Azizullah Rajabzadeh, announced that 204 protesters, including 39 women were arrested in Tehran on 7 December.
Marivan
The students in the city of Marivan took to the streets in the morning of 7th December chanting “Students prefer to die than accept humiliation” and “political prisoners must be freed”.
Karaj
About 10 am on this day, the students from Karaj University started their protest. It took 2 hours. The university guards tried to disperse the crowd but the students carried on with their march and chanted anti government slogans. The demonstration continued into the streets outside the campus.
Ghazvin
Despite the presence of anti riot police, students at Ghazvin Open University too came to the streets to commemorate this day and show their hatred of the regime. About 4000 people took part. While carrying the pictures of two students killed by the regime (Amir JavadiFar and Ashkan Sohrabi) the protestors marched against the regime and chanting “Damn this government” and “Khamene’ee is a criminal, his ruling is illegal”.
Tabriz
On 7th December, the entrance to the city was blocked by inspection posts set up by the security guards. The University was under the control of the plain clothes police and security forces from 9am. Students were identified by their ID cards. Those without cards were refused entry into the campus. Photography was not permitted. Four students were arrested. Their identity is not clear yet.
Najaf Abad, Isfahan
The students were very much controlled by the security forces. Those who could not prove that they were students were refused entry. Cameras were in operation in the campus and a general atmosphere of persecution and fear ruled the campus all day. Despite these measures the students entered the university and commemorated the Students’ Day.
Shahr-e-Kord
Here too, although the security forces wanted to stop any sort of protest, the University students commemorated the Students’ Day. One of the students had this to say: “All the signs in the University were full of slogans against the regime. It is all happening here. We have not seen anything like it. There is an upheaval. I am sure if we carry on with this enthusiasm we will be victorious.”
Kermanshah
Students gathered outside the University entrance to demonstrate their anger at the regime. The Razi University was the scene of many chanting “Down with dictator”, and “Political prisoners must be freed”. Due to the huge presence of the security forces the demonstrations started late but soon gathered momentum towards the afternoon.
Arak
Students at one of the Universities staged a protest meeting. One of the protestors burned a poster with Ahmadinejad’s picture on it. The students from English department chanted “Down with dictator” in front of one of the Hezbollah officials. A number of plain clothes police attacked the demonstrators at Abu Alisina University and injured some of the demonstrators.
Hamadan
According to reports, the plain clothes police threw one of the students out of the window from the top floor of the Science department in Hashti area. The student who is not yet identified was bleeding and was taken to hospital.
Sanandaj
The Open University building was set alight by Basij and University security forces.
Abroad
Protest meetings have also been organised outside Islamic Republic’s Embassies in London, Toronto, Stockholm and other main cities.
