Legal Commentary

Iran Security Forces Overwhelm Protesters

By Jeralyn

From the TimesOnline: The Iran security forces won out over the protesters:

Opposition websites said Revolutionary Guards and basiji militiamen were stationed everywhere and that they moved swiftly and violently to break up opposition demonstrations.

They claimed the security forces used live ammunition, knives, teargas and paintballs that would enable them to identify protesters later and that they were beating and arresting women as well as men. They were backed up by water canon, new Chinese anti-riot vehicles and helicopters. Some, wearing plain clothes, infiltrated the protesters. The mobile telephone, internet and text messaging systems were seriously disrupted.

[More...]

It's hard to get an accurate picture because of the media restrictions:

Most foreign journalists are banned from Iran. Those that remain, and their Iranian counterparts, were bussed to and from Azadi Square and barred from reporting on anything else, meaning only the patchiest information emerged from the rest of the city.

Some videos are here but the protest seems to be over and mostly unsuccessful.

The message from Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Iran is now a “nuclear state” and not afraid of the West:

The Iranian nation is brave enough that if one day we wanted to build nuclear bombs we would announce it publicly without being afraid of you.”

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 11, 2010 (boomark / email).