Memo from the Streets of Tehran, Part III

4- Ordinary policemen were sympathetic. Members of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (those I met) were gentle and considerate. I didn't see any of them beating anybody. Their shields were marked with the words "protecting security of the people." I talked to a number of them. They all seemed very upset and felt sad and confused about the situation. I asked them about those un-uniformed people who attacked people. They said they don't know who commands them and that their action is a part of a psychological war to spread fear and terror. The Guard Corps prevented us from going further to join the main groups of people in Azadi Street but their behavior was not unnecessarily harsh or provocative.

Anyhow, we managed to pass this military barrier and approach Azadi Street. So we had the military forces both on our back and in our front. In one of the side streets, we came in the middle of a hot struggle. Riot police and Basiji militia attacked the crowd and shot teargas. At first the reaction of people was to retreat into lanes and alleys. Soon, the bolder and more courageous of the people attacked back. They threw stones at the riot police and put one of their motorcycles on fire. To fight with teargas, they burned paper and cardboard and the large plastic garbage bins. For about three hours, this battle continued. Many times we were made to flee and hide inside the houses. Some people would leave their doors open for the crowd. Many people were wounded mainly by baton and cable. At around 8 p.m. we left to go back home. Streets were all crowded when we found our car and drove home. On the way back, cars were blowing their horns as a sign of protest.

5- What the supreme leader did yesterday, fired back at him today. During the past days of protest, nobody has called any slogan directly aimed at the leader. People would sometimes shout: "Down with the Dictator"; but there was no mention of his name. Today, for the first time in the past days, some people were shouting: "Down with Khamenei." Even old men and women were throwing stones. Some talked of revenge. Some said that now that they are killing our sisters and our brothers, we cannot sit quiet and we have to retaliate. The only feeling that I couldn't see a sign of was that of fear.

6- There was no individuality left. All were united. All were brothers and sisters. The fact that police had attacked some defenseless women in a closed alley made the crowd so furious that the police had to set back for a while. People felt very angry because of the fact that police show no respect for women who are considered to be less physically capable to fight back. However, women were as active in stone throwing as men. The Iranian regime had achieved to a large degree to develop a sense of mistrust among the people. Nobody felt secure. There was always the fear that your neighbor, your colleague or your co-traveler might be an informer. I remember that whenever I wanted to criticize something of the government in a public place— say, in a taxi—another passenger would warn me to keep silent. Who knows if the driver or the other passenger is not a member of the intelligent force?

Today, this mistrust had gone and replaced with a deep sense of trust; a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. People did not feel like strangers anymore.