Protesters Shot at in Grief-Stricken Abadan

Protests in the mourning city of Abadan turned violent on Sunday night due to the brutal intervention of the country’s so-called “security forces”.

Videos of the gatherings show uniformed officers opening fire on crowds and in others, the sound of gunshots can clearly be heard.

🎥 نیروهای سرکوب جمهوری اسلامی بار دیگر علیه معترضان و مردم داغدیده آبادان دست به خشونت زده‌اند. در این ویدیو که شامگاه یکشنبه ۸ تیر منتشر شده است، صدای تیراندازی به وضوح شنیده می‌شود.#اخبار_ایران #اعتراضات_سراسری #آبادان pic.twitter.com/ZqXjGRtZvj

— ایران وایر (@iranwire) May 29, 2022

Civilians from all walks of life in Abadan have been taking part in nightly rallies since last week, when the Supreme Leader’s glib response to the disastrous collapse of the Metropol building drew public ire. Tens of people are thought to still be buried under the rubble from a catastrophe widely blamed on local corruption and developer greed.

#آبادان | یکشنبه pic.twitter.com/IWn5kENWqZ

— Kianoosh Sanjari (@Sanjaribaf) May 30, 2022

Earlier, Abadan’s Friday Imam – like others, a direct appointee of Khamenei – tried to address people during the rally. He was interrupted by people chanting “Shame”, as were police officers.

🎥 شهروندان آبادانی در شامگاه یکشنبه به حضور نیروها و مقامات حکومتی در تجمع اعتراضی خود واکنش نشان دادند. این شهروندان اقدام به «هو» کردن امام جمعه آبادان کرده و شعار «بسیجی برو گمشو» سر دادند.#اخبار_ایران #اعتراضات_سراسری #آبادان pic.twitter.com/o4DJ6huha7

— ایران وایر (@iranwire) May 29, 2022

Others calling for calm were met with chants of “Basiji, go away”.Rallies in solidarity with the people of Abadan took place on Sunday in Masjid Soleiman, Khuzestan, and Shahin Shahr, Isfahan.

🎥 نیروهای سرکوب جمهوری اسلامی بار دیگر علیه معترضان و مردم داغدیده آبادان دست به خشونت زده‌اند. در این ویدیو که شامگاه یکشنبه ۸ تیر منتشر شده است، صدای تیراندازی به وضوح شنیده می‌شود.#اخبار_ایران #اعتراضات_سراسری #آبادان pic.twitter.com/ZqXjGRtZvj

— ایران وایر (@iranwire) May 29, 2022

The latter was also choked by security forces on Sunday night. Also on Sunday, dozens of artists and filmmakers in Iran backed a joint statement calling on the Islamic Republic’s suppressive architecture to leave the protesters alone: “The roaring army of oppressed people from all over Iran has shouted for solidarity and sympathy with the suffering people of Abadan."

بیانیه گروهی از سینماگران در حمایت از جنبش‌های مردمی در #ایران #آبادان #آبادان_تنها_نیست #تفنگت_را_زمین_بگذار pic.twitter.com/8aukfoXZ4K

— Mohammad Rasoulof (@rasoulof) May 29, 2022

It went on: “Now that public outrage over corruption, theft, inefficiency, repression and repression is accompanied by waves of popular protests, we call on all those who have become repressive agents in the military units to take up arms. They should lay down their arms, and return to the arms of the people.”

Zar (Zahra) Amir Ebrahimi, an Iranian actress, expressed her support for the protesters and the people of Abadan last night at the historic moment she received the Best Actress award at Cannes Film Festival. “Although I'm very happy at this moment,” she said, "part of me is sad for the people of Iran who are grappling with many problems daily. I'm here, but my heart is with the women and men of Iran. My heart is with Abadan.”