TEHRAN, June 12 (UPI) -- Protesters turned out in Tehran to mark the first anniversary of Iran's disputed election, ignoring a government ban on demonstrations.
Opposition leaders, fearing a violent response, had called off demonstrations, The Washington Post reported. But protesters were visible along Revolution Street, along with a heavy police presence.
"There were so many plainclothes officers, that we didn't know who was with us or who against us," one protester told the Post. "But people were not afraid at all, which must be worrying for the government."
The demonstrations, the first in four months, were smaller than those a year ago. They began Friday night with a religious act that has become a sign of defiance in Tehran, going to the roof and chanting "God is great" in Arabic.
Posts on blogs and on YouTube reported some violence, especially at universities.
Last year's demonstrations began after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the official winner of the disputed presidential election. The pattern of votes was suspicious, with election officials reporting decisive margins for Ahmadinejad even in parts of the country where his principal opponent, Mir Hossein Mousavi, was popular.
