Iranian officers arrested numerous fans of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal soccer team after they used the match to protest against the regime.
Supporters burned a picture of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khameini. Other fans unveiled a banner that said “Arab Ahvaz” to show support for the Ahwazi Arabs in Southern Iran. These Arabs face persecution and discrimination from the authorities.
#Iran arrests fans for supporting #Saudi team, sparking clashes http://t.co/eoOyK9BAlx #Ahvaz #الأهواز pic.twitter.com/ggVb3yTSPU
— NOW English (@NOW_eng) March 19, 2015
Some people held signs that said “We are all Younes” for Younes Asakereh, a street vendor. Asakereh, 31 and a father of two, “is in critical condition subsequent to setting himself on fire on March 13 after numerous attacks by repressive state security forces who prevented him from earning a living.”
#IRAN: Dozens of soccer spectators protesting against regime arrested in #Ahvaz http://t.co/xcOinHSZyO pic.twitter.com/4AC5dJyNL4
— Hossein Abedini (@HoAbedini) March 19, 2015
Riots broke out after people learned about the arrests. Photos “circulated on social media” of the riots.
Clashes erupted between football fans and #Iran security forces in #Ahvaz; Arab separatists vow reprisals #Saudi pic.twitter.com/loSQFR25la
— NOW English (@NOW_eng) March 19, 2015
Police car set on fire by football match spectators in Ahvaz http://t.co/7AeRwo5hDk #Iran #IranNews pic.twitter.com/hsDmNCIGqG
— Iran News by Kodoom (@KodoomIranNews) March 18, 2015
“In the ensuing clashes that lasted for three hours, a large number of people, especially the youth were battered and injured,” claimed the National Council of Resistance of Iran. “Some one hundred protesters were arrested and transferred to an undisclosed location. The Iranian Resistance calls on all international organizations to condemn the savage suppression of people of Ahvaz and to take immediate action to free those arrested.”
Reports of protests in Iran city of Ahvaz, car of security forces put on fire – @AhwazonaTV @L0gg0l http://t.co/hnRlujmiEm
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) March 17, 2015
17MartSali Ahvaz'da futbol maçından sonra rejim karşıtı gösteriler olmuş,onlarca gözaltı var: https://t.co/e5lhMMpF1T pic.twitter.com/OSD8Fhk9Va
— Arif Keskin (@KeskinArif) March 18, 2015
“The Ahvaz National Stadium saw large scale clashes between Ahvazi demonstrators and the forces of oppression that serve the Persian state,” reported Ahwz.tv, an anti-regime Iranian station.
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