This is a live-blog report on events occurring in Iran on May 1, 2010, dubbed “May Day” in anticipation of planned protests by students and labour workers. As reports come in, they will be placed at the top of this page. To read this in chronological order it must be read from the bottom up.
Please note that the times associated with updates are the times in which the updates were posted to Iran News Now and not necessarily when the events themselves occurred. There is usually a lag of at least a few hours between when a video was shot and when it becomes available online.
12:32AM Tehran Time
The following video shows students chanting, “Betarsid, Betarsid, Mah hameh bah ham hasteem!” meaning “Be afraid, be afraid, we are all together!”. This is directed at the regime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpIds-alZTs
10:44PM Tehran Time
Ahmadinejad’s speech on May Day in Iran:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hpRtL7f1NQ&feature=player_embedded
He is scheduled to be in New York City (yes, he was granted a visa to enter the U.S.) for a nuclear conference. What’s the best strategy to distract from your problems at home? Create distractions and problems elsewhere. On that front, Ahmadinejad is doing a fine job.
10:34PM Tehran Time
Unconfirmed report of heavy traffic from Enghelab Square to Azadi Square in Tehran.
Reza Sayah reports on an eye-witness account from Tehran that at 5:30PM Tehran time thousands of security personnel could be seen from Enghelab (Revolution) Square to the Ministry of Labor. At about 6:00pm Tehran time, security forces clashed with about 200 people chanting “Marg Bar Dictator” (“Death to the Dictator”).
He also reports that at 5:00pm security forces arrested 3 women in front of the Ministry of Labor, one wearing green (the color associated with the opposition green movement).
And, as we have seen repeatedly over the course of the last year during protests, security forces are present filming protesters (likely to try to identify them for arrest later).
10:20PM Tehran Time
While we have seen footage of heavy security presence in Tehran today, and footage of student protests in Tehran University against a reported spontanteous visit by Ahmadinejad, we have not yet seen any footage of reported clashes between security forces and protesters.
These have been reported by CNN’s Reza Sayah and Omid Habibinia.
There are reports of protests in the cities of Isfahan, Qazvin, Tabriz and Tehran.
10:13PM Tehran Time
Video showing heavy security presence in the streets. The now infamous “Storm Troopers”, police, Revolutionary Guards and likely Basij, that we have repeatedly seen brutally beating and arresting people since the heavily disputed presidential elections of June 2009 are out in force:
10:05PM Tehran Time
Another video showing today’s anti-Ahmadinejad and anti-regime protests at Tehran University today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5389PVsCXw&feature=youtu.be
9:50PM Tehran Time
Another video from Tehran University (source: BBC Persian) showing students protesting against the regime. According to BBC Persian, these protests started when Ahmadinejad showed up to the university on May Day spontaneously. As you can see from this and other videos that have been coming in from Tehran University today, the welcome for Mr. Ahmadinejad have not been warm.
Nearing the end of this video chants of “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein!” can be heard. This is in support of green movement and iran opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Another video from the same protest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uUQ9lwjPRo
9:42PM Tehran Time
People chanting “The blood in our veins is a gift to our nation”:
9:25PM Tehran Time
Unrelated to Iran, but there are protest occurring in Greece right now. The Guardian has posted some pictures from the May Day protests in Athen, Greece here.
9:15PM Tehran Time
The following videos shows a crowd of students behind the gates of Tehran University chanting slogans against the regime and singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifBuvHzMAj4&feature=player_embedded
“Marg Bar Toh, Marg Bar Toh, Marg Bar Toh!” (Down with You!):
9:05PM Tehran Time
Video purportedly from Tehran University today. People chanting slogans against the dictatorship:
“Dictator, Be Ashamed! Leave our University!”
And then breaking into song, singing the revolutionary “Yare Dabestani” (My Fellow Schoolmate).
8:54PM Tehran Time
There are reports of high security presence and clashes in several cities in Iran between security forces and protesters, including Isfahan and Tehran.
The following video, purportedly from today shows students chanting “Marg Bar Dictator!” (“Down with the Dictator”):
