Iranian police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse about 250 pro-reform protesters gathered near Tehran University today in defiance of a ban on gatherings for the anniversary of violent 1999 student unrest, a witness said.
"Police used tear gas twice to disperse the crowd. There was also many Basij militia on motorbikes patrolling the area," said the witness, who asked not to be named.
Another witness said police urged passers by through loudspeakers to leave the area.
"They were about 250 people who shouted in favour of (defeated presidential candidate Mirhossein) Mousavi and made the victory sign. Police dispersed them," said the witness, who also asked not to be named.
There was none of the chanting of slogans against the clerical elite that could be heard during protests in Tehran and other cities after the June 12th presidential election, which hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won by a landslide.
The election triggered days of mass street protests by supporters of Mousavi, a moderate who says the vote was rigged.
The witness said police, riot police and Islamic militia fiercely loyal to Iran's most powerful figure Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were out in force.
In 1999, student unrest was sparked by the Tehran University dormitory attack, during which one student was killed.
Iran police chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam said on Wednesday the force had received no requests for any gatherings on Thursday. He said any gathering would be strongly confronted by police.
Reuters