Join our e-mail list
Great expectations
Posted by Nick Jehlen | July 26th, 2009
In a country where human rights, free speech, and democracy are respected, security forces would protect those who gather in the streets to speak out. Iranians in Kerman are acting as if they live in such a country, and by doing so, they are creating one. In the video below, they march on security forces, bearing flowers and thanking them.
"This video is from the city of Kerman (I am unsure when it was taken but it was posted yesterday) and shows demonstrators clapping for and giving flowers to security forces (Nirooye Entezami) who are coming towards them - I guess this is an ingenious way to stop them from getting beaten up. How can you beat someone who hands you a flower?
This is the slogan they chant:
"Nirooye Entezami, Hemayat, Hemayat" - meaning: Security Forces, Protect us, Protect us.....
At the very end they chant:
"Nirooye Entezami, Tashakor, Tashakor" - meaning: Security Forces, Thank you, Thank you..."
Originally from The Daily Dish, thanks to Jason Lemieux for the tip.
Comments
Pragmatism rules
The pleasure is all mine. This is Jason. I'm not sure how to make my name appear as the commenter.
I admire the outlook adopted by these protestors - It takes a certain amount of maturity to take this approach. I've known plenty of groups here in the States who view police and security forces as representatives of the government (i.e., the easy-to-comprehend Faceless Other) to be publicly treated with contempt. I see a number of advantages for the Iranians in using the demonstrated technique:
Tactically, it makes it difficult for the police to respond with violence. It's possible that the protestors were breaking some law or even committing a hostile act before the cameras started rolling. Mentally, even if the average riot cop would love to engage the protestors with force, his commander undoubtedly knows that the world will watch this event on YouTube and that his forces must walk a thin line if the government is to come out on top. Morally, it's difficult for anyone to shoot someone who is cheering him on and showering him with flowers.
Strategically, it makes the protestors look great to everyone in the world who will watch the footage. It makes them appear to be the better man. At worst, it elicits a little extra sympathy for the protestors if the police engage with force. At best, it sows discord among the police and pulls them away from the government. Of course, it's on the protestors to make sure that their "cheerleader" advance cannot be confused with a hostile or deceptive one.
As I mentioned above, we don't know if the protestors' behavior was worthy of police intervention prior to the cameras rolling. Whether that's the case, by cheering on the police for "protecting" them they are co-opting the police to legitimize their activity (assuming anybody believes the police were ever on their side).