Students Protest at Tehran University

The New York Times News Blog

Iranian bloggers and opposition Web sites posted video and photographs of a student protest on Monday at Tehran University, suggesting that the unrest that broke out after the disputed June 12 presidential election is not yet at an end. The Iranian student Web site Advar News reported that hundreds of university students chanted slogans against Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, including “Death to dictator!” and “Ahmadi, Ahmadi, this is the last message, the green movement is ready for uprising!” Another reformist Web site, Norooz, estimated that about a thousand students took part in the demonstration, according to Reuters.

A report on the Web site of The Human Rights Activists News Agency about Monday’s protest was illustrated with dozens of photographs of protesters, many of them carrying green ribbons, banners or balloons. Several more images of what appeared to be a student march were published in a report on the opposition Web site Mowjcamp. Mr. Ahmadinejad was scheduled to appear at Tehran University but reportedly did not show up or offer an explanation for his absence. Authorities had voiced concerns about student protests at universities as the new school year began and had warned students to refrain from political activities.

Iranian bloggers said that several short snippets of video posted on YouTube showed that a smaller group of students chanted “ Death to dictator!” one day earlier, on Sunday, at the philosophy faculty of Tehran University during an appearance by a former speaker of Iran’s parliament, Gholam Ali Hadad Adel. Mowjcamp reported that among the other slogans chanted during the appearance were “ Shame! Shame! Representative who is against the people!” and “Don’t be scared, we are not thugs!” referring to the Basij militia members who have attacked opposition supporters at protests since June. (Read more...)