The youth resisted and scuffles broke out. A large crowd gathered at the square and supported the young men, whose numbers rose as others joined in the clashes with the regime's suppressive agents.
After two hours of scuffles, the Bassij members could no longer withstand the courageous defiance of the young protesters and fled the scene, despite the fact that some State Security Forces personnel and Revolutionary Guards had come to their help. A large number of Bassij thugs were beaten up by the young men, several of whom were also injured in the fighting and were given first-aid treatment by local residents. The bystanders' strong support for the young men prevented the Guards and the Bassijis from arresting anyone of them on the spot.
On Tuesday afternoon, February 8, a group of young people in Hakimieh district in the east Tehran suburb of Tehran Pars attacked and beat up two members of the paramilitary Bassij, Reza Abbasi and Alireza Rashidi, both active agents of suppression in the area.
On Thursday afternoon, February 10, sporadic scuffles and clashes broke out between young people and Bassij thugs in the downtown areas of Azadi (Freedom) Street and Enqelab (Revolution) Square. A number of Bassijis were beaten up.
These clashes come at a time when, in the run-up to Friday's elections, the State Security Forces, Bassij units, Intelligence Ministry agents, as well as two entire divisions of the Revolutionary Guards - the 10th and the 27th - are on full alert throughout Tehran to counter any antigovernment activities and protests.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 14, 2000
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