World Threats

These from our friends in Iran.

In Tehran about 300 students protested the presence of Ahmadinejad at Tehran University from about 1:30 to 3:30 pm. They gathered outside the Medical Department at this university and chanted, ‘Students and workers unite, unite’, ‘traitor Mahmoud (Ahmadinejad) you have made us miserable’, ‘death to dictator’, ‘dictator shame on you, leave the university’, ‘students will die but will never give up’, and ‘the blood in our veins is a gift to our people’. (As opposed to the pro-government slogan that says, ‘the blood in our veins is a gift to our leader)

In Qom, in a state organized labor ceremony in the Eshqe Ali Mosque in this city, Talebi, the head of the Qom Labor House gave a speech. He did not even let workers talk or protest but a number of workers got up and shouted out their protests.
Talebi told the protesters that when you gather outside the governor’s office, foreign media say that there is a revolution in Iran and laugh at you because you do not know that these sorts of protests have nothing to do with the governor.
Some workers were angered by this statement and one worker protested and said, “You argue that because of the things that foreign media might say, people have to stop demanding their rights. So whatever happens to us in this country we have to keep silent so that the foreign media wont rights about it?!”

In Sanandaj, workers and other people chanted protests slogans outside the Relief Committee which led to clashes with security forces. Five people were arrested.

In the Firdosi University in Mashhad there are a strict security measures being taken to control students. A number of students went on hunger strike and refused to get their food from the cafeteria. Students also refused to go to class for two hours which led to the cancelling of these classes.

Labor Day in Iran – Tehran-Labor House-heavy security presence-May1,2010

Majlis-heavy security presence- Labor Day – Tehran – May1,2010.wmv

In Tehran from Enqelab Square to Azadi Square, riot police have been stationed on the street in the direction of the Labor Ministry building. They have blocked off this street and do not let anyone pass.
A bus from Varamin was stopped by security forces. Workers from Varamin who were in the bus and intended to participate in the gathering outside the Labor Ministry were dispersed and the bus was sent back. A number of the passengers who refused to disperse were beaten.
At 5pm (Tehran time) a large gathering formed outside the Labor Ministry with chants of ‘death to dictator’.

In Tehran at about 1:30 pm around 40 workers were going towards Azadi Street from Navab Street to join a demonstration when they were violently attacked by security forces. These workers who were beaten with clubs and metal pipes clashed with security forces. Two workers were taken to the hospital becase of their injuries. At about 11 am, security forces also attacked people on the street and beat and arrested them to prevent any sort of gathering.
There are security forces, Bassij forces and plainclothes agents stationed all over Tehran to prevent any kind of gathering and there are very strict security measures being taken.
An anti-government protest started at about 2:30pm in Azadi Street. The crowds are moving towards the Labor Ministry.