Live-blogging July 30th, 2009 Iran Protests (40th day after Neda killed)

[10:30 AM Tehran Time]

Quote “The feeling today”:

One plus One, adds to two,
The percentage of the vote that went to You.
Two plus Two, three and four,
The max number of months till you’re out the Door.
Three plus three, adds to six,
The system that you have just can’t be Fixed.
Four plus four, totals eight,
Everything you are adds up to Hate.
Five plus five, now we have ten,
Never will we let you get away Again.
Six and a six, sums up twelve.
Sending you back to the pit of Hell.

[8:18 AM Tehran Time]

Another video from a city other than Tehran. This time from Ahvaz, in Khustan province. People are chanting a new slogan, “People why are you sitting here? Iran is becoming Palestine!” What this means is that people are saying that Iran is being held hostage by forces that are not loyal to the Iranian nation:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkslNru50z8]

[6:32 AM Tehran Time]

Picture of a bus with “Down with Khamenei” written on it:

[3:15 AM Tehran Time]

Another video showing protester chanting, “Mojtaba Die so you won’t see the leadership.” And, “Political Prisoners must be freed!”

[youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgTrT8LFxcM]

[2:57 AM Tehran Time]

A video showing supporters of Mousavi chanting in his support:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MqYIdgt16Y]

[2:52 AM Tehran Time]

A video showing people out of their cars on the highway protesting. Cars honk in support. Solidarity for Green Movement in Iran is high:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPmF1vj8JxI]

[2:50 AM Tehran Time]

An interesting account from a blogger that attending the Beheshteh Zahra memorial today:

We headed to Behesht Zahra Cementary in the afternoon to join the 4pm ceremony at their gravesites. Behesht Zahra is about a one hour drive south of Tehran and as we neared the cementery, about five police cars and officers were directing traffic. Waiting to enter the cementery compound in the traffic, one of my companions pulled down the window and half jokingly asked the police officer what was going on. He smiled back and said, “nothing, just go towards row 257.” For those not familiar with Behesht Zahra, it’s an enormous cementery with wide avenues and squares. Knowing it would take us a while to find our destination, the police officer decided to help by telling us in which row we could find Neda’s grave (others in Behesht Zahra would help lost drivers by directing them to Neda. That’s all people said: “Neda ounjast” (Neda is there), pointing in the direction of her grave). Throughout the ceremony it was obvious the police force was very sympathetic with the people (as opposed to the anti-riot police and the revolutionary guard factions that were present in large numbers and were standing by the graves of both Neda and Sohrab).

Source: TehranBureau.com

[2:45 AM Tehran Time]

The first video of tonight’s rooftop chants of “Allah-o-Akbar”:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ObS9Y6Z7rs]

[2:40 AM Tehran Time]

This is the first video I have seen that shows Mehdi Karoubi, presidential contender and reformist at the protests today. He showed up at Behestheh Zahra cemetery:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82YPtvOze6A]

[1:40 AM Tehran Time]

Sohrab’s (martyr of post-election protests) brother and mother speak at Beheshteh Zahra cemetery. I will try to translate soon.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scGQ7ar2_44]

[1:30 AM Tehran Time]

Over 100 video’s from todays protests, thanks to Mahdi Saharkhiz for compiling them:

Mahdi Saharkhiz’s YouTube Channel

[1:21 AM Tehran Time]

Another very interesting video. A plain-clothed idiot is listening to someone talking to him on a cell phone (seemingly issuing orders) keeps saying, “you have 5 minutes to finish-up,” to the people at the cemetery:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6AJFzd5q4g]

[1:10 AM Tehran Time]

Prominent Cleric, Haddi Ghaffari, attends Neda memorial protest at Beheshteh Zahra:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MFatt4lH2s]

[1:02 AM Tehran Time]

A picture acquired by the Associated Press at the Beheshteh Zahra protest today. A club-wielding police goon threatens protesters:

Source: Associated Press Photo

[12:56 AM Tehran Time]

A Great Newsweek piece explains why the Green Wave will not die:

It’s tempting to think that protesters may have finally given up on overturning Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed election. At points it has seemed like the broad base of support they once enjoyed had gone and that demonstrators were now merely wealthy secularists. At others, it seemed like the fierce official response—and government attempts to limit movement and assembly—was thwarting organizers of the opposition. But a funeral Thursday showed not only that the Green Wave lives on, but that we can expect regular revivals well into the future.

Today is the chehelom, the 40-day anniversary, of the death of Neda Agha Soltan, a young woman who was shot at a post-election protest on June 21. Her final moments were captured in a shaky, bloody, cell-phone video (viewer discretion advised) that became a rallying point for the opposition. To mark their grief, thousands of Iranians flocked to the Behesht e Zahra cemetery south of Tehran today, where they clashed with security forces (dozens were wounded and many were also arrested) and chanted “death to dictator.” Mir Hussein Mousavi, the presidential candidate disputing the election results, was turned away from the cemetery by security forces.

The chehelom has deep symbolic significance in Iran and among Shiites around the world. The origins of the practice can be traced to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the prophet Mohammed. In Iran, the chehelom has also taken on political significance. During the Islamic Revolution in 1979, these anniversaries were used as an excuse to mount protests against the Shah and to keep up the momentum of street rallies. The same thing is happening today. Except now that they’re in the government, the revolutionaries will have a hard time telling chehelom participants not to grieve without looking like hypocrites.

Source: http://www.newsweek.com/id/209468

[12:53 AM Tehran Time]

Another video of people chanting “Freedom! Iranian Republic!” To understand this video requires some context. The regime in Iran is very defensive of the name “Islamic Republic.” These chants are in direct defiance of this>

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfEb7cydj68]

[12:39 AM Tehran Time]

Another video in front of Mousala. Wow: “Mah bachahayeh jangeem! Bejang to mah bejangim!” Translates to: “We are the children of war. Fight until we fight back!”

I read that as a challenge to the regime. They’re basically saying we are not afraid of you.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVKdaRgRGE]

[12:35 AM Tehran Time]

Another video from Beheshteh Zahra. People chanting, “Coup’d’etat Government, Resign! Resign!”

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3d1KAbtm98]

[12:33 AM Tehran Time]

A video showing demonstrations in Shiraz:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_385W1D1s0]

[12:23 AM Tehran Time]

This video is profound. The person taking it says, “In every corner and side, every intersection, the people are there and they’ve set fires. And they [the regime goons, basij] are in amongst them confused.” Then people start chanting: “Mojtaba die so you won’t be the leader!” Mojtaba is the son of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and has been reported to be the person responsible for leading the government crackdown on protesters.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SHnXOUPtuU]

[12:19 AM Tehran Time]

Another video of brave Iranian protesters, taken by brave citizen journalists. I am amazed by the will of the Iranian people.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_BmUw1pBU]

[12:00 AM Tehran Time]

Another video surfaces of the Beheshteh Zahra gathering, clearly showing thousands of people gathered:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsfe2ffWzFo& 285 234]

[11:50 PM Tehran Time]

Evening in Vali Asr, thousands gathered, chanting: “Marg Bar Dictator! Marg Bar Dictator!” or “Down with the Dictator!” Very loud and powerful. Cars honking in unison in support!

This must be seen by the world!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAHQkaRUp24& 285 234]

[11:37 PM Tehran Time]

From TIME:

In the afternoon, as the hour for the protests grew closer, many offices in the Iranian capital began shutting down or running with a bare-bones staff. Workers began leaving to assemble at protest sites, traveling by way of the clogged subway, by cab or on foot. “I’m not scared,” said a banker as he headed for the sprawling Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, where many opposition “martyrs,” including the iconic Neda Agha-Soltan, have been buried. He says the planned memorial service was especially poignant for him because he saw a protester shot at Azadi Square on June 20, the same day Agha-Soltan was killed a few kilometers away on Kargar Street.

Source (TIME): Tehran Dispatch: A Crackdown to Forbid Mourning

[11:29 PM Tehran Time]

Protest at Mousala: people chanting “Down with the dictator!”:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGgHWpQpMbY& 285 234]

[11:18 PM Tehran Time]

This video shows a protester in Vanak Street in Tehran fighting back against a club-wielding Islamic Republic goon. A short while thereafter you hear what sounds like gunshots.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3YxVuD101s& 285 234]

[11:00 PM Tehran Time]

CBC Interview with a reporter on the ground in Tehran. Amazing. Says Mehdi Karoubi was beaten up by the police! If this is true it is absolutely unbelievable and will have huge ramifications. “It’s a very risky day!”

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hjqhXota-k& 285 234]

[10:55 PM Tehran Time]

Some reports have come in (unconfirmed) that shots have been fired in clashes between protesters and police. There are also reports of heavy clashes in various streets.

Reza Sayah of CNN on twitter retweeted a message from someone saying 40,000 protesters were at Beheshteh Zahra memorial. Wow.

[10:43 PM Tehran Time]

Some great videos in this article by L.A. Times Blogs:

Crowd of Thousands Overwhelms Security Forces.

[10:31 PM Tehran Time]

Another video: People chanting against the regime Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4_AzK24jLM& 285 234]

[10:23 PM Tehran Time]

Mousavi tried to attend a memorial for Neda Agha-Soltan at Beheshteh Zahra Cemetery but was forced to leave by police. From Reuters:

The clashes erupted after hundreds of supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi gathered to mourn Neda Agha-Soltan, whose death on June 20 was captured on video and has been seen by hundreds of thousands on the Internet.

At least 300 mourners were at a ceremony for the 26-year-old music student at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, greeting the opposition leader with chants of ‘Mousavi we support you’ and clinging to his car as he arrived, a witness said.

But police forced Mousavi to return to his car and leave.

Many hundreds later tried to move toward the Grand Mosala, a big prayer venue in central Tehran. But police were deployed in force outside the Mosala, having rejected a request by opposition leaders to hold a memorial ceremony there.

“There are thousands of people chanting slogans in favor of Mousavi. Hundreds of riot police around Mosala and nearby streets are trying to disperse them,” the witness said.

“Plainclothes agents and riot police hit protesters with batons and police fired tear gas,” said a pro-reform website.

Source: (Reuters): Iran Police Breakup Memorial for Protest Victims

[10:19 PM Tehran Time]

Article from the BBC on The Rise of Iran’s Citizen Journalists

[10:09 PM Tehran Time]

Due to the speed at which information is coming in, I will be posting links here for you to follow, along with commentary if it’s possible to make sense of the information.

Here are the first links I have:

Video of protesters chanting “Esteghlal, Azadi, Jomhourieh Irani! Jomhourieh Irani means “Iranian Republic.” This is significant because it is a play against the name “Islamic Republic.”

Another video of what appears to be the same event taken on the ground:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfEb7cydj68& 285 234]

Another Video: People in a Metro chanting and singing songs against the regime:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AmGGatDGuc& 285 234]

Some of the significant quotes from the above video: “Marg bar Chin!” means “Down with China!” Marg bar Toh!” means “Down with You!”, in this case You is referring to KhamCo (Ahmadinejad, Khamenei and the coup makers.)

Picture of the riot police at Beheshteh Zahra cemetery where protesters gathered to commemorate the post Iran election martyrs (killed by the regime):

http://onlymehdi.tumblr.com/post/152367351