As Iran’s Government Tries to Quell Protests, Accounts of Brutal Crackdown Emerge
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Iranian authorities have imposed a near-total communication blackout amid mass protests, coinciding with one of the deadliest government crackdowns in over a decade.
- Eyewitnesses report government forces using automatic weapons and firing indiscriminately at unarmed protesters, with hospitals treating gunshot wounds and skull fractures, indicating a mass-casualty situation.
- Videos and images emerging despite the blackout show rows of body bags and grieving families, highlighting the severe human toll of the crackdown.
- Iranian state television aired footage of morgue officials and framed the protests as a threat to society, warning that innocent people are being drawn into chaos.
- Both supporters of the theocratic government and protesters acknowledge the unprecedented brutality of the current crackdown.
