Fears of Wide-Spread Participation in Traditional Fire-Jumping Festivities

Bahram Rafiei
Bahram Rafiei

» Police and Judiciary on Full Alert

Following the Green Movement’s call to the public to participate in the upcoming traditional fire-jumping festivities (known as Chahar-Shanbe Souri which are part of the New Year ritual), police officials, the judiciary and the security forces have reacted with threats of crackdown and arrest while also putting their personnel on alert. In previous years too  the police and armed forces went to the extremes to prevent people from participating in this traditional Iranian festival. But since last year and as the protests over the disputed results of the 2009 presidential election gained momentum, Chahar-Shanbe Souri ceremonies have acquired a different significance both for the people and for the Iranian regime.

Yesterday the chief of police’s prevention task force spoke to the media of the deployment of police personnel throughout the capital on the eve of the event which takes place on the last Tuesday of Winter. “Based on our surveys of 111 commercial sites in Tehran, police personnel will conduct patrols on foot, on bikes or by cars in order to guarantee citizens safety.” By mentioning the checkpoints held at city entrance gates, Mohsen Khancharli added, “The surveillance task regarding the basic ingredients used in fireworks have started two months ago and the usual outlets that normally supplied the material had been under surveillance. Suspicious warehouses have been confiscated. Other measures include setting up checkpoints at entrance and exit gates of the city.”

By referring to the arrest of 119 individuals ahead of Chahar-Shanbe Souri, the police chief made it clear that the participants would be treated harshly and added, “With arrangements made with judges, the police is going to crack down on those individuals neglectful of warnings and who jeopardize public order. Also, the police will follow up on any personal complaints in these regards thoroughly and such individuals will be arrested and brought to justice.”

Last Sunday, the head of Tehran province prosecutor’s office also commented on the Green Movement’s calls for the public to participate in the fire jumping event and said, “Counter-revolutionaries are planning to use this event to their benefit and infiltrate young groups who have no anti-revolutionary motives and who just want to enjoy the event. If the youth let the anti-revolutionaries join their rank they too will have to pay because it is too difficult to differentiate between the two groups.” Ali-Reza Avaee also made an implicit threat against families when he said, “We are getting close to Nowruz [the Persian New Year that begins on March 21st] when the whole country and society are supposed to take pleasure in life and nature and enjoy being together. Families should watch their children and prevent them from having fun at the cost of turning such a festive period in to one of grief and sadness.” He also emphasized, “If some individuals are to commit crimes, disrupt public order, and endanger their own lives and those of others, it is the responsibility of the judiciary and the police to enforce the law. Obviously, some of these individuals will end up in prison, depending on their crime, not a pleasant possibility.”