Iran-Demo-2
Protesters call for boycott of June 17 presidential election
Despite the crackdown on protesters by the clerical regime’s repressive forces, thousands of people joined an anti-government protest that began by hundreds of brave women outside Tehran University, protesting against the mullahs’ election masquerade. Thousands of young people broke through the security cordons set up by the State Security Forces, the paramilitary Bassij and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, to march from Tehran University to Enghelab Square and then Karegar Street and Keshavarz Boulevard. The crowd continued to grow as passers-by and local residents joined the throngs of protesters.
Most of the protesters were women and young people. They chanted, “Guns, tanks and Bassijis (the paramilitary vigilantes) are no long effective”, “freedom, referendum, boycott of election”, “down with dictatorship” and “free all political prisoners”. They called for a solid boycott of the clerical regime’s elections and tore down election posters and placards belonging to all the candidates.
The clerical regime sent in reinforcements to the area from different parts of Tehran to put down the demonstration. They sealed off all the streets in the area and tried to disperse the demonstrators. General Nasser Shabani, deputy commander of State Security Forces in Tehran, commanded the repressive forces.
The repressive agents attacked the demonstrators in Karegar Street and a number of young protesters were arrested.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
June 12, 2005
