Workers from all over the country turned the anniversary into protest against the Iranian regime
NCRI – Yesterday, on the anniversary of May Day, hundreds of thousands of Iranian workers filled up the nearby streets to Amjadieh Stadium. They were protesting the anti-labor policies of the mullahs’ regime. Workers from other parts of the country such as Mashhad, Saveh, Borujerd, Neishabor, and Zanjan joined their fellow labors in the capital.
Women and students on a call from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) joined the rally. They showed that all Iranians have a common demand. The participants shouted slogans such as, “Freedom is our unalienable right.”
The rally which had begun at 8:30 in the morning lasted until 10:30 in the evening. The demonstrators marched down the street towards Seventh of Tir Square. They chanted slogans, “freedom, freedom is our undeniable right,” “workers, political prisoners must be freed,” “workers, teachers, students unite,” “teachers are welcomed to join workers,” “incompetent minister, resign,” “We do not tolerate suppression; we do not want a mercenary police force.”
This demonstration was held despite the State Security Forces (SSF) ban on all gatherings outside the regime’s Majlis, Labor Ministry and Ahmadinejad’s office. The regime’s leaders had intended to have the labors demonstrate outside Khomeini’s tomb but the demonstrators paid no heed and had rallied outside the stadium.
In the course of the demonstrations the SSF and plain-clothes agents as well as special units of the State Security Forces cracked down on the participants arresting and sending them to unknown locations. Among the detainees were student participants. The SSF tried to arrest Mr. Mansour Osanlou, head of the executive committee of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (SWTBC). They turned away when they faced strong resistance from the demonstrators.
Five thousand workers protested in the streets of southern city of Shiraz. In Rasht, a Caspian Sea resort, more than 8,000 workers demonstrated through the city.
The Iranian Resistance’s President-elect, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi praised the heroic workers and students as well as teachers and women who have supported the May Day commemoration. She described the May Day demonstrations as an advent of the Iranian people’s will for a regime change and establishment of democracy in the country.
Mrs. Rajavi called on all Iranian youths to support the workers and the families of those who had been arrested. She also called on all labor unions and workers syndicates as well as relevant international bodies to condemn the anti-labor policies of the regime and try to free all the detainees.
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Secretariat of the National council of Resistance of Iran
May 2, 2007
