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Iran: Protests and strikes continue over the killing of Mahsa Amini

By Mahmoud Hakamian
iran protests university of science and technology
Students of Iran University of Science and Technology (Tehran) protest the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini by security forces

Strikes and protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini continued on Tuesday, September 20. Initial reports show closed shops in Bukan and Baneh, Kurdistan province, as people have gone on strike.

In Tehran, the students at Iran University of Science and Technology and Beheshti University also resumed their protests on Tuesday.

In Yazd province, the students of Yazd University also joined the protests to the killing of Mahsa Amini. The students were chanting, “Students will die but won’t give in to disgrace.”

Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, western Iran, who traveled to Tehran with her family, was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, at the entry of Haqqani Highway by the regime’s so-called “Guidance Patrol” and transferred to the “Moral Security” agency.

Protesting her arrest, Amini was severely beaten by the security forces in a van and was taken to the capital’s Kasra Hospital due to the severity of her injuries. After initial examinations, doctors declared that Amini had suffered a stroke and was brain dead at the same time. Amini died on Friday, September 16. Shortly after, protests broke out in several cities, including Tehran and Saqqez. The protests have continued and expanded since.

In Kharazmi University, Karaj, students held a protest rally and chanted, “So many years of crimes, death to the supreme leader” and “From Kurdistan to Tehran, women are suppressed.”

In Tehran’s Beheshti University, protesters were calling off the Basij, the regime’s main force to suppress protesters and especially women. “You are our ISIS,” the protesters were chanting. They also chanted slogans against regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei, shouting, “Khamenei is a murderer! His rule is invalid!”

At another location in Tehran, a large crowd gathered despite the presence of anti-riot units. The protesters were chanting, “I will kill those who killed my sister” and “This is the last warning! The regime itself is the main target!”

Slogans calling for regime change have become a mainstay of the protests that have happened in recent days, indicating the explosive state of the society.

Shortly after protests began on Tuesday, Basij forces attacked students in University of Science and Technology. However, the students stood their ground and resisted the repressive forces by chanting that “While the mullahs are in power, this country will never prosper.”

In recent days, there has been an unprecedented environment of cooperation among protesters. There are numerous reports of protesters working together to thwart security forces and locals helping out demonstrators who are evading security forces.

The University of Science and Technology chanted slogans against the “morality police” and “guidance patrol,” which arrested and beat Mahsa Amini last week.

“Death to the murder patrol,” the students were chanting. It is worth noting that the regime has increased the presence of the morality police in universities in recent months to suppress students.

The situation continues to remain intense in Tehran. The Students of the University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation held a massive rally, calling for the ouster of the mullahs’ regime.

There have been numerous reports of regime authorities trying to infiltrate plainclothes agents among protesters to identify them and take pictures. But in many cases, they were spotted by protesters and their phones were confiscated.

In Tabriz, the students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences joined the nationwide movement to condemn the brutal killing of Mahsa Amini and the regime’s repression.

“From Kurdistan to Tabriz, we are fed up,” the students were chanting. In their slogans, the students also referred to the broader problems that the Iranian society is facing under the rule of the mullahs. “Poverty, corruption, injustice, shame on this tyranny,” they chanted.

In the afternoon, mass protests took place in many cities. In Qazvin, a large crowd had gathered and were chanting “Death to the dictator.” The protesters set fire to a van that belonged to the morality police in response to the killing of Mahsa Amini. They also chanted “Death to the dictator” in defiance to the regime’s repressive measures. State security forces who tried to threaten the protesters failed to intimidate them. The protesters chanted “Mullahs must get lost,” calling for the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime.

In Zanjan, the regime dispatched a large contingent of anti-riot units to quell protests. But the protesters stood their ground and continued their rally. Security forces opened fire on protesters and fired tear gas in their midst.

In Tehran, the protesters targeted the regime’s supreme leader, chanting, “Death to Khamenei.” According to reports by locals, the regime has restricted internet connectivity in the capital. In some cities, internet access has been completely shut down.

In Mashhad, security forces tried to disperse protesters. But protesters resisted and chanted, “Shame on you,” forcing the security forces to retreat.

In Ilam, a very large crowd gathered and chanted “Death to Khamenei” as security forces lined up and tried to intimidate them.

Footage from Kermanshah shows security forces directly opening fire on protesters.

In Kerman, a large crowd had gathered and were chanting, “We will fight and take back Iran.”

In Tabriz, a large group of anti-riot forces had gathered to disperse protesters. But the protesters stood up against them with their bare hands and anything they could get their hands on.

Similar protests were reported in Qom, Arak, Mashhad, Marivan, Gorgan, Ilam, and Hamedan. In every city, there is heavy presence of security forces, but the protesters continue their rallies and are not afraid of the regime’s repressive apparatus. Every rally is marked with chants of “Death to the dictator,” “Death to Khamenei,” and “Mullahs must get lost.”

Protests intensified through the night. In Mashhad, there were intense clashes between protesters and anti-riot forces. Protesters set fire to an anti-riot motorcycle while chanting “the mullahs must get lost!”

In Sari, a very large crowd gathered at night and chanted “We will fight and take back Iran!”

In Rafsanjan, protesters continued their rallies late into the night while chanting “Death to the dictator.”

In Rasht, protesters forced anti-riot units to flee and continued their anti-regime demonstrations.

In Kish Island, a very large crowd had gathered in front of a shopping mall, chanting, “Khamenei have some shame! Let go of the country!”

In Qom, protesters clashed with security forces late into the night and continued their protests.

In Shiraz, women were actively engaging in and organizing protests. A large group were chanting, “Khamenei you murderer! We will bury you!” When security forces attacked the protesters, they stood their ground and continued their rally.

In Tehran, where protests have been ongoing since the morning, protesters continued their march late into the night while chanting, “[Khamenei] will be overthrown this year.”

Monday saw the protests expand to dozens of cities across Iran. Heavy clashes were reported in the cities of Kurdistan province, especially in Divandarreh where footage from this city explicitly shows regime authorities deploying a large number of security forces who resorted to extensive crackdown measures to quell all anti-regime protests and peaceful demonstrations.

Local activists and independent media are reporting at least four people were killed in Divandarreh and were being transferred to Sanandaj due to the severity of their injuries. One of these individuals died while being transferred and the other three lost their lives in hospitals in Sanadaj. Reports from the city of Saqqez, the hometown of Mahsa Amini, indicate that a 40-year-old man was killed by the regime’s security forces.

Activists and locals have also posted many video clips and images showing protesters wounded by the regime’s oppressive security forces using pellet guns. In Divandarreh, however, the regime’s security forces and anti-riot units resorted to using live bullets, according to reports. It is possible for the number of protesters killed and wounded to rise as these are initial reports.

In Saqqez, where the protests began in Kurdistan province, reports indicate regime security forces fired tear gas canisters into people’s homes and used local schools as bases for their forces and a site to station their vehicles.

In Tehran, anti-riot units dispatched to various parts of the capital used water trucks, tear gas, and pellet guns in their confrontation with protesters and demonstrators. Reports from various activists indicate authorities had parked ambulances ready to transfer arrested protesters to detention centers and police stations. This method was used to cover up the regime’s crackdown measures and raise lesser attention to the protesters being apprehended by security forces.

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