Iran has exploded once again with reports via Iranian tweeters that clashes have broken out:
AP reports clashes protestors with Basij at demo today. Tear gas, broken arms and legs
More on the protest:
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — About 5,000 protesters marched slowly and silently through Tehran on Sunday near a mosque where the government was allowing a demonstration for the first time in days.
And this from tweeters:
Authorities are riding on motorcycles alongside the marchers, who are telling each other to walk slowly and drag their feet. Police are telling the demonstrators to move faster.
The marchers are walking from north to south down a major street, Shariati Street, near the Ghoba Mosque, where a memorial is being held in honor of a hero of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Some of the protesters are telling the police that they have the legal right to protest in peace.
And:
Amnesty International said Sat that gov forces are preventing drs from getting names from wounded demonstrators or asking how they were hurt.
Iran intensified its crackdown over the weekend, reportedly seizing wounded protesters from their hospital beds of the youth
Meanwhile Iran is arresting westerners:
Iranian authorities have detained several local employees of the British Embassy in Iran, a move that Britain’s foreign secretary Sunday called “harassment and intimidation.”
Iranian media reported Sunday that eight local embassy staff were detained for an alleged role in postelection protests, but gave no further details. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the employees were detained Saturday, but did not say how many were taken into custody.
The detentions signaled a further hardening of Iran’s stance toward the West which has become increasingly vocal in its condemnation of a crackdown on opposition supporters.
And through it all Obama comes out tough on Hondurans, something it took a week or more for him to do on Iran:
President Barack Obama is calling for all sides in Honduras to respect democracy and the rule of law following the arrest of President Manuela Zelaya and his reported expulsion to Costa Rica.
Obama says any disputes must be settled peacefully through negotiations that are free from outside interference.
White House officials say Obama spoke with his national security adviser, James Jones, about the situation on Sunday morning. Aides from several agencies are monitoring the situation and providing updates to Obama, Jones and Jones’ deputy.
Zelaya was detained shortly before voting was to begin on a constitutional referendum. He had insisted on holding the vote even though the Supreme Court ruled it illegal and everyone from the military to Congress and members of his own party opposed it.
UPDATE
latest update from The Times:
Riot police clashed with up to 3,000 protesters near a mosque in north Tehran on Sunday, using tear gas and truncheons to break up Iran’s first post-election demonstration in five days, witnesses said.
Witnesses told The Associated Press that some protesters fought back, chanting: ”Where is my vote?” They said others described scenes of brutality — including the alleged police beating of an elderly woman — in the clashes around the Ghoba Mosque.
The reports could not immediately be independently verified because of tight restrictions imposed on journalists in Iran.
And:
Clashes around Ghoba mosque have intensified & forces are heavily beating people to disperse them.
New picture out of Iran:
Another video from today, people yelling “death to dictator”:
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Why are so many “Conservatives” supporting protesters in Iran (whose candidate is as bad or worse then OddJob), when there are so many reasons to take to the streets here to oust the Dems, which they (we) aren’t doing? Is that some sort of psychological trick their minds are playing on them, or what?
My “support” for the Iranians is not in support of Mousave, Yon. I’ve mentioned this to you before. Since the Ayatollah handpicks who can and cannot run, all of them are scum.
However an obvious stolen election and police thuggery on dissent is unacceptable, and is worthy of support… without lending credibility to the particular candidate.
We support them because we care about freedom. Anger with Iran government’s/mullah’s policies have been building for some time. This may be the final straw that leads to a rebellion against the oligarchy.
In America, more and more people are getting deeply concerned and apprehensive of the Democrat’s headlong rush to change the country into the far-left’s Utopian dream, without debate or question, and without transparency. Just as the Republican’s squandered their constituent support, for the political financial support of special interests and globalist elitist agenda, the Democratic elites are now ignoring the lesson learned and are forging distrust and disillusion among the people who (foolishly) trusted them. This will go against them in the 2010 elections, but their is so much damage they can do to destroy this country before the next congressional vote.
Even liberal party members are getting worried, as the Tea Parties are showing. The Cap and Trade legislation and poorly conceived nationalization of health care will result in growing unrest, protests, and action as the people realize they have been deceived.