Worldfocus

Every year, December 7 commemorates the deaths of three students who were killed by police during protests against a 1953 visit by then-U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon.

Amateur videos culled from YouTube show that this year’s events quickly transformed into a demonstration opposing their government.

The following video from Dec. 7 shows a large group of passionate high school protesters demanding a change in Iran’s government. Many of the young women are wearing green masks indicating their support for the “green movement.”

The students are chanting: “Teachers with pride - we need your support! / I will kill, I will kill whomever kill my brother! / All political prisoners must be free! / Death to the dictator! / Death to this regime that kills its own people!”

In the video below from Dec. 7th, student protesters from Tehran Polytechnic University demand regime change: “You traitor Mahmoud (Ahmadinejad). We hope that you become a wanderer. You destroyed our homeland! You killed the youths of this country! You sent thousands into the graves! Death to you, death to you! Death to the dictator.”

In the next video, also from Dec. 7th, a massive gathering of student protesters waves pre-Islamic Revolution Persian flags outside Tehran University and chants: “Death to the dictator” and “What has happened to the oil revenue? It has gone to the pockets of Basijis.”

The last video, from Dec. 8th, displays students from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman demanding a new government, as well as the release of the 204 activists arrested during the Dec. 7th protests.

- Michael Ramirez

For more, view our Voices of Iran extended coverage page and listen to our online radio show on Baha’i faith and modern Iran.