Police Arrest 50 for Playing With Water

By Shahram Rafizadeh

Authorities in Karaj, a suburb of Tehran, arrested at least 50 people for taking part in a lively water fight at Iran Zameen Park on Friday. The online news site Karaj Rasa reported that security officials were present at the water fight as it began, but later broke it up and detained participants. The same site reported that after those detained were transferred to a local police precent, about 500 of their relatives gathered outside and shouted for their release with “ear splitting” cries. Their sit-in was broken up shortly after by authorities.

The site Alborz News, which is close to Principalists, or hardliners, in Karaj, described those arrested as being involved in a “Facebooky gathering” and said that multiple social media sites had been used to invite people to participate in the water fight.