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Politics

Angry Parents Clash With Iranian Security Forces In Saqqez Amid Concern Over Children's Security

November 10, 2022
You in IranWire
3 min read
Angry Parents Clash With Iranian Security Forces In Saqqez Amid Concern Over Children's Security

Parents have clashed with plainclothes officers outside schools in the western Iranian city of Saqqez, as security forces are cracking down on students protests in the hometown of Mahsa Amini, IranWire reports.

The death last month of the 22-year-old Amini in the custody of Tehran’s morality police has triggered a wave of nationwide demonstrations against Iran’s clerical establishment. Students across Iran have joined the protest movement, which sometimes has led to clashes with teachers and security forces.

Some schools in Saqqez, Kurdistan province, handed over CCTV camera footage to the judiciary so that the protesting students can be identified. Many of them have left schools fearing arrest. 

Intelligence agencies are going to look at the footage in the coming days, summon the protesting students and question them, according to IranWire sources.

Mehdi Kaveh, the security officer at the local education department, is leading the crackdown.

At least five students have been arrested in the city in recent weeks.

Growing concerns over the fate of the students led to clashes between parents and plainclothes officers outside two schools on November 5 and November 7

The parents have warned that they will continue to protest if security forces remained around schools.

Sunday, November 5: Iman Girls' School

Students noticed the presence of a plainclothes agent outside the school for a few days and raised the issue with their families. Parents gathered outside the facility when students were leaving. Students then started chanting and the parents noticed the officer.

"We went to him. One of the parents grabbed the officer's personal clothes and a fight broke out. He wanted to make sure that the person was not armed," a parent told IranWire.

"A number of other parents also came forward and told the agent that his presence disturbed the mental peace of the students. Finally, he was forced to understand that it is better not to see those parents again.”

An ambulance transferred a schoolgirl to hospital after she felt unwell due to stress.

"We took that student to the hospital. Fortunately, nothing happened to her and she was discharged. But the students are severely affected psychologically. When the girl was taken to the hospital, some families were angry and attached a nearby police vehicle," an IranWire source said.

Tuesday, November 7: Beed-e-hendi Boys' Conservatory

A similar incident happened on Tuesday outside Beed-e-hendi Boys' Conservatory. This time, some teachers stood up to support the students and announced that if plainclothes forces remained in front of the school they would complain to the governor's office and then to the education department.

"To support the students when they start chanting in the school, we turn off the cameras and then turn them back on when the chants are over. [School] staff don’t cooperate all the time, some hand over the videos under the pressure of the security forces," a teacher told IranWire.

Amid security concerns, “some students have not been to class for more than three weeks,” a school staff said.

" Parents do not inform us about them either…some parents may not allow their children to attend classes due to security threats and concern for their children's security," a school staff said.

Schoolchildren apparently pose a major challenge to the political establishment in Tehran. Security and intelligence agencies are trying to find ways to suppress crowds of children calling for freedom.

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