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December 30, 2009, Iranian pro-government rallies

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On December 30, 2009 pro-government demonstrations took place in several cities in Iran to protest recent anti-government demonstrations that started with the disputed 2009 presidential election.[1] The New York Times wrote "A witness said many demonstrators on Wednesday were taken to protest sites by dozens of buses and were given free chocolate milk, and The Associated Press said the government had given all civil servants the day off to attend the rallies."[2] Participants numbered in the tens[2] or hundreds of thousands.[1] Slogans included "O free-willed leader, we are ready, we are ready"[1] and “Death to Moussavi,”[2] Speakers included Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, and speakers called on opposition leaders to repent from their opposition to the government or be declared "enemies of God" and face the death sentence.

Observers differed on the size or representativeness of the demonstrations. One source called it "possibly the largest crowd in the streets of Tehran since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s funeral in 1989." [3] Another stated that "satellite pictures of the regime demonstration having far, far fewer people there than at recent opposition rallies, which numbered in the millions," and that instead of congregating in Azadi Square, where the regime had "traditionally organized mass rallies to intimidate the opposition and the world", the rally was held in "a much smaller square in the middle of Tehran."[4]


See also

References and notes

  1. ^ a b c "Iran regime supporters swarm streets". AFP. December 30, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "In Tehran, Thousands Rally to Back Government". NYT. December 30, 2009.
  3. ^ Another Iranian Revolution? Not Likely By FLYNT LEVERETT and HILLARY MANN LEVERETT, January 5, 2010
  4. ^ The State of the Opposition is Strong, Abbas Milani, January 8, 2010