The demonstration called for on 25 Bahman by two of the defeated presidential candidates in the 2009 election, Mousavi and Karoubi, was denied a permit and ruled unlawful by Iranian authorities. Law enforcement was called upon to enforce this ruling. Below are interpretations of the image and video evidence from the ensuing demonstrations and counter-demonstrations of 25 Bahman, made available through open sourced gathering.
Images: Law Enforcement Deployment
(click to enlarge)
Law enforcement detachment consisting of NAJA cadre policemen and attached conscript soldiers.
NAJA cadre officers positioned to prevent unlawful assembly.
Background: motorized NAJA “guard-e vijeh” (Special Guards). Foreground: Motorized detachment of Basijis.Videos:
NAJA “guard-e vijeh” (Special Guards) in blocking actions preventing unlawful assembly.
NAJA “guard-e vijeh” (Special Guards) engaged in crowd dispersal.
Motorized elements of Basij on a patrol.
Tear gas employed in crowd dispersal.
There are a few videos where demonstrators numbered over 100. The overwhelming majority of demonstrators appeared to be student types of northern Tehrani stock. In fact, the demonstrations of 25 Bahman can be more aptly described as a student rebellion of sorts.
Lawlessness on the streets of Tehran. There were many cases of arson as depicted in numerous videos. Most of the videos depict demonstrators numbering in the low dozens with no detectable presence of law enforcement, evidence perhaps of a restrained attitude as well as statically inclined positioning.
Students protesting at Sharif University; evidence for characterizing the demonstrations of 25 Bahman as a student rebellion.
More video evidence depicting student type demonstrators congealed in numbers of low to mid dozens.
Civil disorder and cases of arson lasted into the night. The rebellion doesn't appear to have been resumed the following day.
Protesters resort to beating people in the crowd identified as pro-establishment.
ID card provided by Iranian authorities of a Basiji bystander reportedly murdered by anti-government demonstrators.
A pro-establishment journalist beaten by anti-government protesters.A demonstrator sustains a leg injury. There are two cases of similar injuries documented by the video evidence.
Emergency services performing during the civil unrest.
Pro-establishment elements counter-rallying against the demonstrators in Tehran.
Students rallying in favor of the political establishment at Sharif University. In various locations their numbers competed with those demonstrating against the establishment.
Summary:
Judging by the video evidence and some eyewitness accounts, NAJA and the Basij were relatively restrained in their conduct. After the Ashura rioting, Iranian public opinion favored law enforcement efforts by a 3:1 margin. It's plausible this latest case of civil disorder will reinforce this public opinion.
It's difficult to ascertain using the video evidence at hand but a liberal count fof anti-establishment demonstrators in Tehran numbered somewhere in the 1000s (compared to the high tens of thousands that participated in the anniversary rally a few days before). In cities such as Isfahan and Shiraz, the evidence provides counts that are possibly in the low 100s. Furthermore, the demonstrations could arguably be best characterized as something of a student rebellion, a "venting" of the disenfranchised if you will. These student types are increasingly becoming radicalized judging by the video depictions of arson, destruction of public property, disruption of traffic and beating of persons among the crowd. This element has become politically marginalized by the political vetting process as well as the electoral majority, so this vocal minority appears to be driven towards spats of civil unrest. It's a situation the Iranian leadership, law enforcement and investigative security services will have to contend with. And it's a situation Iran's external adversaries will seek to exploit.
