Protests in Iran against the coup d'etat of Ahmadinejad

The protests in Major cities of Iran continue in the streets despite the heavy restrictions and threats posed by the Iranian coup d'etat government. It was days before the election that the reformist candidates, honest officials and the independent news agencies in Iran warned against the threat of a fraud in elections.

Iranians around the world hoped that they could nullify Ahmadinejad's propaganda and decrease his chance of committing a fraud by their participation in the election. In the evening of the day of election, government started to filter the websites belonging to the reformist candidates and their fans. At the same time, the representatives of the candidates opposing Ahmadinejad were removed from many election sites by force. During midnight it was announced that Ahmadinejad is ahead of the other candidates by an exceptionally larger amount of votes. To add injury to insult, it was also announced that tomorrow (Saturday) the police is executing a maneuver in the streets. On that very night, reporters and journalists gathered around where Mirhossein Mousavi was staying to hear his comments on the situation. Mousavi claimed that a fraud had taken place and that people where robbed of their votes in the election. Many of the sites supporting reformist candidates were attacked by Basiji militia that night.

On Saturday morning, everyone was shocked about the results and streets were full of policemen who were trying to terrify the masses. Many guards were riding on their motorbikes, beating and arresting people on the streets. This continued until noon, when people burst out in rage and gathered in various squares and streets to express their anger towards the government. Police clashed with protestors almost all over Tehran and other big cities. People set fires and blocked the streets to defend themselves against the police.

The protests continued on Sunday. Basiji militia attacked student dormitories in Tehran and Isfahan, they beat the students heavily and trashed their rooms. Some were shot and than taken to the hospital.

On Monday, millions of people gathered around Enghelab and Azadi street, despite the fact that Mirhossein Mousavi had asked them to stay at home in order to keep them safe from police and Basiji militia who had threatened to shoot live rounds at protestors, claiming that this rally is illegal; however, not only people showed up but also there were so many of them in the rally that Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoobi and many others joined them. Protestors agreed to gather on Valiasr square at 5 o'clock in the evening the next day.

On Tuesday, the government mobilized thousands of its militia and armed forces around Valiasr square together with Ahmadinejad supporters in order to prevent another huge rally. As an answer to this gesture, the protestors rallied in other streets in even greater numbers. The protestors again clashed with police and Basiji militia and many of the protestors were shot and beaten.

On Wednesday another rally took place around Haftetir square which went on peacefully. During the football match between Iran's national team and South Korea's team in Seoul, some of the Iranian football players wore green wristbands to show their support for the protestors; but then again they were forced to remove the wristbands on the second half of the game and only one of them appeared with the green symbol on his wrist.

Access to foreign news channels and internet is severely restricted in Iran these days. Cell phones are disabled by the government during the rallies, SMS service is shut off and Iranian government officials threaten the protestors constantly.

People shout from rooftops every night and drivers honk repeatedly in the streets to express their discontent with the fraud in the election.

Mirhossein Mousavi has encouraged the people to rally again on Thursday to honor those killed by the government militia and police forces. At least 20 people are reported to be killed until now.