BBC: John Simpson reporting from the middle of Tehran riot

[Turborama]

Run time: 01:44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdO9o5xpmog   Posted on YouTube: June 13, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: June 13, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 2718

 
ETA: Damnit! Embedding disabled. Worth going to the YouTube link, though...

John Simpson: Reporting from Tehran

A crowd of about 3,000 attacked the police, some of whom were on motorbikes, which they set on fire.

The sky was thick with black smoke. Police attacked the crowd with sticks and maybe teargas.

I didn't expect to see people turning on the secret police. We were filming when we were surrounded by angry secret policemen. The crowd turned on them and chased them off.

I suspect we are not looking at a revolution but there is serious anger.

It all depends on how the government responds - if they use violence, that could inflame the situation.

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8098305.stm

-- --- --

Crowd chasing the police away and protecting a guy from abduction 52 seconds in, just before John's report.

[MADem]

1. Fantastic footage======K and R! nt

[DURHAM D]

2. Thanks for posting. Everyone must watch.

Those people on the street protesting are risking their lives:

"We want freedom. We want freedom. We want freedom."

[JayMusgrove]

4. I certainly hope they get their wish, and that the tyrant is

defeated from within.

Iranians are a very educated and wonderful population, over-controlled by religious fundamentalists and clerics who have held power way too long, and need to give the nation back to the people.

[DURHAM D]

6. I have several friends that were here in U.S.

(in college) when the revolution broke out. Mostly they managed to get members of their families out although one of my friend's 13 year old sister was disappeared (caught with a copy of Diary of Anne Frank) back in 1980. All of them want to go home when freedom breaks out.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Observe, my fellow Yanks

This is how you deal with a stolen election, not the way we did it in 2000.

[notadmblnd]

5. when I think of rioting, I think of looting and setting buildings on fire

I did not see that here. I saw a protest and people defending themselves against the police. I agree with a poster down thread, Americans should take a lesson from the Iranians.

[Turborama]

8. Did you see the smoke in the background?

The cause: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5jGSJEAPs_r2T2wxsL5G3t4z-jajQD98PUPJG1?index=0


TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Angry crowds in Moseni Square in Iran's capital Saturday night broke into shops, tore down signs and started fires as they protested the re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to CNN employees at the scene.

They were yelling the name of Mir Hossein Moussavi, who the government says lost Friday's presidential election by a wide margin.

Protests broke out in Tehran earlier Saturday after Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of the vote.

The announcement brought thousands of Moussavi supporters onto the streets where they were met a strong police presence and the threat of violence.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour said she saw riot police fighting "running battles" with protesters, who were shouting "death to dictatorship."

More: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/13/iran.election/index.html



More pics: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/13/iran.election/index.html#cnnSTCPhoto

[notadmblnd]

9. No, I didn't in the video

but from the pictures you posted I only saw burning police equipment. I did not see people looting shops and setting them afire.

[Turborama]

10. The smoke is behind John Simpson

Anyway, it's a riot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot

[sasquatch]

7. OMG this is very promising

[bloomington-lib]

11. Nice to see the protesters chasing the cops away from

beating that man.

[abq e streeter]

12. goddam liberal troublemakers--no respect for law and order

I hope Rush and O'Reilly come down on em big time ( jeez I hope this wasn't really needed , but: :sarcasm: )

[AsahinaKimi]

13. One might imagine ...

One wonders, what life might have been like, had we done this when Bush first stole our election... I wonder what would have been the end result?

[Turborama]

14. This Channel 4 (UK) report shows how fortunate & brave John Simpson was to record that piece....

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1184614595?bctid=26274216001

Thanks again to bushmeister0 for posting it in the LBN thread.

[mmonk]

15. Thank you very much. Recommended.

[Turborama]

16. You're welcome, thank-you for the rec.

Here's some pics I just came across...

[mmonk]

17. Very good.

I'm planning to talk to some of my Iranian American friends about what is going on. Thanks.

[chill_wind]

18. Must see video. Things are happening fast! K & R.

[janx]

19. Very up-to-date reporting, with video after video:

http://tehranbureau.com/2009/06/13/alerts-from-tehran/

[laylah]

20. I am so sad the American

people did not respond in a similar fashion in 2000. Just my POV, and a hard held one.

Good luck to our Iranian sisters and brothers. May justice prevail for them where it did not for us.

[NJCher]

21. wow

I've been working for hours and away from any news reports, so it was really something to come here and see all hell has broken loose in Iran!

Yes, yes, yes, this is what we should have done in 2000!!!

Instead, we were orderly and waited for the inauguration to march. Well,some of us, that is. Most of America stayed home and bought into bush's bs.

There weren't any fires at the DC march, either.

But there were plenty of police in riot gear like what is seen on the video.

Go Iranians!


Cher

[Turborama]

22. John Simpson updating his report from Tehran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kD2P8Uxro