The differing statistics suggest the police failed to coordinate their propaganda message before speaking to the media.
The opposition called on Iranians to use the street bonfires of Chaharshanbeh Souri as a basis for further protests. The government spent the days before the holiday warning that any protesters would be dealt with sharply. The key threat was that anyone arrested the night of Chaharshanbeh Souri, March 15, would be kept in jail for a month until after the Now Ruz holiday season ends April 13. In other words, no holiday for troublemakers.
The extent of protests on Chaharshanbeh Souri remains unclear. That night is filled with bonfires and children of all ages running around and making much noise in every street and alleyway. There were numerous reports of anti-regime chants, but the events of the night are by nature scattered and do not involve concentrations of protesters. Video clips posted on YouTube also show some people using the Chaharshanbeh Souri occasion to chant anti-government slogans, but the breadth of the protest was unknown.
Brig. Gen. Ahmad-Reza Radan, the deputy chief of the national police, played down any political activity that evening. He announced that those detained that night numbered fewer than 10.
But Radio Zamaneh reported that Colonel Ali Karimi, deputy chief of the Tehran police for security operations, announced that 467 people were arrested in Tehran. “With swift deployment throughout the city, the police succeeded in arresting 467 people who were trying to disturb security and sell or distribute fireworks,” Karimi reported.
General Radan also reported that one person was killed in Shiraz setting off fireworks. There are commonly hundreds of injuries and a few deaths on Cha-harshanbeh Souri from the fascination with fireworks on that evening.
Radio Zamaneh quoted officials saying the number of people celebrating Chahar-shanbeh Souri was down by more than half this year compared to last year. That would suggest that parents were keeping their children indoors out of fear of overzealous police officers cracking down on overzealous celebrants.
But according to opposition websites, Tehran’s streets were the scene of several protest gatherings and anti-government chanting last night, despite an intense security presence.
One of those websites, Jaras, reported that people were chanting slogans in support of Mir-Hossain Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi, the opposition leaders who have been under house arrest for a month.
Both the Jaras and HRANA websites reported that dozens of protesters were beaten and arrested in Tehran, a third set of numbers to compete with those of Radan and Karimi.
Similar protests were reported in Shiraz, Esfahan, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Karaj, Babol and Arak.