Basij Everywhere

The Guardian captions: "This seems to be why the protests were snuffed out. The video below shows hundreds of police and basij militia in riot gear lining the streets."

Tehran Bureau interviewed Hossein Karroubi, the son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi:

[The government] bussed in as many people as they possibly could from many towns and locations and depositing them at Azadi Square, surrounded by and escorted by thousands of officers. I have even seen them rounding up people myself. This is while they started beating the others (opposition) starting at 8 am. Of what value is such a pro-government turnout? If they allowed this side (opposition) to gather, they would see how the masses really turn out. For example, at Sadeghi Square, where we were, folks told us they started beating up on them since they started arriving at 8 am. They kept gathering and they kept dispersing them. What value was their [the government's] turnout under these circumstances?