Fury has been expressed on social media in response to a video showing Iranian anti-riot police sexually assaulting a female protester as they attempted to arrest her.
The police chief’s resignation and “justice” were among the demands made by outraged users, who also expressed their displeasure. Additionally, other users who supported the government denounced the offenders.
Iranians are still able to post stirring pictures of the protests online despite restrictions on some social media platforms.
When rage over the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian Mahsa Amini in police custody flared, riots broke out last month. She was beaten by morality police, according to her family, who claim she died as a result. Authorities claim she died from an existing medical condition.
دیروز بی‌بی‌سی فارسی، ویدیوهایی از تعرض نیروهای امنیتی به دختران معترض منتشر کرد که واکنش‌های گسترده‌ای با هشتگ #تعرض برانگیخته است؛ از بغض و استیصال و نفرت و خشم تا یادآوری داعش و خرمشهر و «وعده حضور مصمم‌تر در خیابان و انتقام خشونت علیه معترضان.»
بیشتر:https://t.co/5XCSTSYJ0X pic.twitter.com/4Pay8TySCu
— BBC NEWS فارسی (@bbcpersian) October 14, 2022
Both inside and outside of Iran, a number of videos showing the protest have gone viral. Near the most recent footage, which was captured on camera on Wednesday in Argentina Square in Tehran, officers are seen encircling a woman who is walking along a busy street.
She is taken by the neck by one of them, who then drags her into a group of roughly 20 policemen, several of whom are riding motorbikes.
Another officer comes up behind the woman and places his left hand on her bottom as she is being dragged toward one of the bikes.
Later, as more officers encircle her, the woman stoops to the ground. Behind the camera, a female voice can be heard stating, “They’re ripping her hair.”
As a form of protest in scenarios similar to those that have occurred in recent days across the nation, drivers in cars close to the action begin honking their horns.
The woman is then seen getting up and fleeing the area while it appears she is not wearing a hijab, or headscarf.
“Look at him [the security force officer], he is laughing,” the same voice from earlier in the footage is heard saying at this point.
The incident is being looked into, according to the police public relations office in Tehran, according to state news agency Irna.
The police statement does not give details of what happened, but says that “enemies using psychological warfare tried to cause public anxiety and incite violence”.
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