Clashes began when following the end of a soccer game, the State Security Force intervened to stop the youth from celebrating in the streets, but met their defiance. Informed of the clash, local residents around Gohardasht and Zoor-Abad (another suburb of Karaj) went to the scene and clashed with the State Security Force using stones and plywood. The crowd swelled to 8,000 in a matter of a few hours.
Unable to confront the crowd, members of the State Security Force fled from the scene. Subsequently, the Guards Corps' special units, equipped with truncheons, tear gas canisters and other equipment were dispatched to the scene and began assaulting the crowd, arresting scores and putting them on board buses they had already prepared.
The angry crowd attacked the buses, over turned them and freed those arrested. In their attack on the Guards, the people seized most of their equipment, including their helmets and truncheons.
Reports say that the clashes continued until mid-night. The next morning, the State Security Force was stationed in the area and martial law was imposed to maintain control.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 24, 1998
Back Home