Kamangir (Archer)

Today, Ahmadinejad was treated awfully in an Iranian university famous for being politically hyperactive. Here, I tried to mention the important events. Unfortunately, all links are to Persian sources. As of what I think about this, I admire all the students who grilled him. I think this is democracy and I know that all those brave students have taken the risk of being prosecuted and brutally treated. Still, I am not sure why Ahmadinejad did this and whether he did not anticipate what happened. At the back of mind, I am thinking, he did have a good reason for showing up there. To know what that reason was, we should wait.

It all started yesterday, when around a thousand students in Amir Kabir University (AKU) gathered to oppose Ahmadinejad’s decision to visit their university. The visit held the fancy title “friendly encounter”. Above other reasons, students were against his visit because of the Ministry of Higher Education’s new secret policy to reject students with activism background from attending M.Sc. programs. The students held many banners, including the one shown here. It reads “Mr Ahmadinejad, according to your strong [sarcastic] reputation, you are not allowed to enter AKU” [not exact translation]. More pictures of the yesterday gathering are here. Also, see this for the story.

Students chanting against Ahmadinejad.

Today, Ahmadinejad visited AKU. This blogger says that supporters were bussed from military-controlled universities, Imam Hossein and Imam Hasan, (see). These supporters not only chanted supportive slogans, whenever necessary, but also they used physical means to stop opposing students (see).

The fist is one of the unique symbols of the IR supporters.

Students chanted “The reason for any problem, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad”. When students chanted “Death to the Dictator”, Ahmadinejad tried to change the subject by saying “we do not let anyone to become a dictator in the name of freedom” (see). Sarmaii has more.

Ahmadinejad’s pictures were burnt and held downward.

Ahmadinejad was greeted by a hand made audio grenade (video), courtesy of imee79. This blogger says the audio bomb was used by Ahmadinejad’s guards to threaten the crowd (see).

Many students cover their faces to scape identification.

The national television’s camera was broken in the scene (see). A reformist newspaper says the cameraman was taking closeup pictures and the students were afraid of being identified (see).

When the students shouted “Ahmadinejad get out of the university”, chief Basij commander in the AKU replied “you are the ones who should get lost from the country, because we are the ones who build it” (see).

Students also chanted “justice and freedom are our definite rights”, mocking Ahmadinejad’s favourite slogan “nuclear energy is our definite right” (see). More chants: “I will kill whom killed my brother”, “forget America, solve our problems”, and “answer our questions” (see).

Unshaved beard is another symbol of the IR supporters, who won’t hesitate to use physical force, if necessary.

Some students were holding the pictures of one of the students who has been under arrest for a long time, for political opposition, shouting “imprisoned students must be released” (see).

When Ahmadinejad was leaving the saloon, he was hooted by the students standing outside (see).

Afterwards, Ahmadinejad mentioned “the university must be a friendly place and I will not avenge those who insulted me” (see). Many parties, including the reformists’, condemned “insulting the President” (see).

Presidential guards did not allow students to bring cameras to the saloon (see).

His speech is mentioned here (see). Find more news (see see see see see) and more pictures here (see) also here and in the links listed in the page (see).

Time will tell if this was really a big disappointment for Ahmadinejad.

p.s. Mani cites English sources.