In Iran, Crowds Chant: ‘Death to the IRGC, Death to the Entire System’! Grief began these protests, but fury keeps them going. by Hugh Fitzgerald
https://www.frontpagemag.com/in-iran-crowds-chant-death-to-the-irgc-death-to-the-entire-system/
In Iran, the protests against the regime have still not been suppressed, despite the regime throwing everything it has into the effort. More than 500 protesters have been murdered in the 100 days of protests that have passed since the killing of Mahsa Amini by the morality police on September 16, but instead of scaring others into submission, these killings by the regime’s enforcers have only served to bring tens of thousands of new protesters out onto the streets in more than 90 cities across the country. In Shi’a Islam, as in other traditions, the mourning period for the dead lasts for 40 days. And now, 40 days after the death of protesters, Iranian crowds make that fatidic date the occasion to appear at their gravesites to honor the martyred dead. More on these events can be found here: “Iranians mourn murdered protesters, chant ‘death to Khamenei!,’” by Tzvi Joffre, Jerusalem Post, December 29, 2022:
Crowds of Iranian demonstrators gathered on Thursday [Dec. 29] at the graves of protesters murdered by Iranian security forces during the anti-government protests that continue to sweep Iran, to mark 40 days since their murder on Thursday.
A large crowd of protesters gathered at the grave of Hamidreza Rouhi at the Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery in Tehran on Dec. 29 to mark the 40th anniversary since his death. Rouhi, a university student who also had a modeling career since childhood, was shot dead near his home in the Shahr-e Ziba neighborhood in the west of the capital on November 18. Thursday was the 40th day after his death, when Iranians hold a memorial.
Later, protesters began chanting against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who they believe has ordered the killing of protesters. “Down with the Dictator”was chanted, and then a new slogan was heard: “This homeland will not thrive before he [Khamenei] is wrapped in a shroud.”
“Poverty, corruption, high cost of living, we will continue until the toppling [of the regime]”, people began chanting as the crowd grew even larger.
The protesters then chanted “Death to the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps], death to the entire system!”
Video reportedly from the scene showed Iranian security forces firing tear gas at the protesters who blocked a nearby road. The protesters reportedly managed to chase away the security forces, with video showing demonstrators running towards security forces as tear gas was fired. A person allegedly attempted to attack the protesters with a knife as well.
A large crowd of protesters also gathered at the grave of Ali Abbasi in Semirom, chanting “Death to Khamenei!” and other anti-government slogans.
Ali Abbasi was 25 years old when he was murdered.
Demonstrations were also held at the grave of Atefeh Naami, an Ahwazi Arab activist who was found dead in her apartment in November. Her family members have accused Iranian security forces of killing her and then staging the murder as a suicide.
Several dozen of the protesters who were murdered have been declared by the authorities to have been suicides, but some of their bodies showed signs of severe beatings that could only have been inflicted by others.
Protesters gathered at the graves of Mohsen Niazi, Reza Shariati, Milad Saeedianjoo, Sephehr Maqsoodi, Arman Emadi and Javad Mousavi as well on Thursday.
Additionally on Thursday [Dec. 29] and Iranian writer and painter named Mehdi Bahman was reportedly sentenced to death for taking part in the protests, according to BBC Persian.
Iranian activists have reportedly called for further protests at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar to be held on Saturday.
Despite a violent crackdown on protests by Iranian authorities, the wave of protests against the Islamic regime has continued for over 100 days since Mahsa Amini was murdered by Tehran “morality police.” The protesters have called for the fall of the regime.
The burials of the murdered protesters — there have been 508 so far – have been the occasions for demonstrations of grief and fury at the gravesite. And forty days after each burial, demonstrations again are held at the same gravesites, this time more of fury than grief. And just as it was grief that began these protests, it is fury that keeps them going.
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