According to witness accounts, police beat the protesters in Tehran with batons in the harshest violence seen since the early protests. Police also used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Gun shots could also be heared during the confrontations.
The secuirty forces in great numbers blocked access to the Enghelab Street and Azadi Street , which were the planned parade route.
There have also been unconfirmed death reports, ranging from around 20 to over 100.
A video said to have been taken today (source not confirmed) widely circulated on the Internet shows a young girl killed during the protests.
Mousavi reportedly appeared among his supporters in the protests and asked people to go on strikes if he was arrested. He also said he will continue pursuing the annulment of the election.
There have been reports of clashes between police and protesters in other parts of Iran as well.
Pro-Mousavi supporters have been shouting, “God is great” on their rooftops amid the recent protests to show their objection to the alleged election fraud.
The act was one of the non-violent means of protest against Iran’s monarchy regime used during the 1979 revolution.
The protests in Iran began soon after the announcement of the results of the presidential elections on June 12th, giving the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a victory by a wide margin.
Following Iran’s presidential elections, reformist opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have called for the annulment of the election, alleging widespread election fraud.
During the Friday Prayer, the Supreme Leader called the protests illegal and expressed that the “behind-the-scene” protest organizers will be responsible for any bloodshed.
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