Protest In Iran Gear Recommendations And Preventive Measures

The Guardian's Robert Tait sends this synopsis:
Iran crisis: live - 24 June 2009 | News | guardian.co.uk
The man, who has come from a small town in the eastern province of Khorasan and has never been in Tehran before, says he is being paid 2m rial (122) to assault protestors with a heavy wooden stave. He says the money is the main incentive as it will enable him to get married and may even enable him to afford more than one wife. Leadership of the volunteers has been provided by a man known only as "Hajji", who has instructed his men to "beat the counter-revolutionaries so hard that they won't be able to stand up". The volunteers, most of them from far-flung provinces such as Khuzestan, Arak and Mazandaran, are being kept in hostel accommodation, reportedly in east Tehran. Other volunteers, he says, have been brought from Lebanon, where the Iranian regime has strong allies in the Hezbollah movement. They are said to be more highly-paid than their Iranian counterparts and are put up in hotels. The last piece of information seems to confirm the suspicion of many Iranians that foreign security personnel are being used to suppress the demonstrators. For all his talk of the legal process, this interview provides a key insight into where Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, believes the true source of his legitimacy rests.

Violence removed.

Violence removed. Infraction added.

This is a document that a friend of mine who is an Iranian-American police officer has put together. He is the member of the SWAT team and he's an expert on anti riot tactics. he has been watching and studying the videos and the tactics that basij has been using and he put the document together. It would be great to spread this document and pass it on to the kids in Iran. It might save their lives. -- SB

Here are some simple ways of defending yourself when attacked by Basij or Security forces.

Anti riot attacks

Once caught by security forces, the best way to break free is by swinging relentlessly in all directions. Keep in mind that security forces have to hold on to you, which means they only can use one hand to deflect the blows. Brass Knuckle is extremely effective when trying to break loose from the grip of security forces. Wooden brass knuckle is strong and simple to make. The image above is a sample of a basic wooden brass knuckle that can be made with a piece of wood, a cutter and a drill. It should not take more than 30 minutes to make a wooden brass knuckle. Wooden brass knuckle is extremely strong, light weight and versatile. Make sure that the top edges are sharp and round.

Motorcycle attacks

Iranian Basij motorcycle units use attack and retrieve tactics which is meant to create fear more than anything else. The same tactic was used by US police forces on horsebacks when confronting the civil right protestors. The advantage of utilizing motorcycles in urban environment is obvious: motorcycles can go places that cars cant. However, motorcycles have disadvantages which can handicap the force that uses them.

The most effective way of disabling motorcycles is using tire spikes. Though made of carbon cratnor material, the Basij motorcycle tires cannot withstand multiple punctures. The easiest way to spike Basijis tires is by using a simple tire spike system called Iron Caltrop. This simple device can be made in a matter of minutes by wrapping two pieces of nail together in a 65 degree angle. By dropping a handful of Iron Caltrop on the ground, you can deflate the tires of Basijis motorcycles in a matter of minutes. If you ride, you know how difficult it is to steer a motorcycle with two flat tires.

Tear gas

A fabric socked in vinegar can very well protect you against tear gas. Cover your nose and mouth with the fabric and keep plenty of water around to wash your eyes if you come in direct contact with tear gas. Urban Legend: burning tires will reduce the effect of tear gas. Not true, it actually increases the effect and it smells bad too.

Batons

Riot police is trained to use batons. They understand that its easy to hit a stationary target and much easier to hit a target that is running away. Hitting somebody with baton is a matter of timing. The worst thing you can do is to run away from baton whirling security guards because it allows them to time the strike perfectly. The most effective way to counter a security guard with baton is to throw off his timing by going directly at him. Thats right. Run away and turn and go directly at him. When you go directly at the guard and close the distance, you completely screw up his timing. A boxer cannot hit a person that is standing 2 inches away from his face. Thats why boxer bounce around. A baton whirling guard is just like a boxer, he needs to time his strikes. By going directly at the guard and closing distance you mess-up his timing and might even be able to take him down.

Riot formation

Basij and police security guardsmen perform best when crowd disperses and becomes separated. The worst scenario for the riot police is when the crowd is together and inseparable. South Korean labor protestors in the 90s were the best organized units in history of rioting. Thousands of them held on to each other (locked arms) and no matter what, they did not let go. It made it impossible for the riot police to disperse them.

Just a few tips. Please translate and send it back to the youth in Iran. This can save their lives.

When posting advice to protesters you should be thinking to the fact that this is not G8 or WTO protests. We all know how bad it can go in our western countries; remember that it it far worse there. They are really putting their lives in danger not only their "physical inegrity".
Don't misunderstand me I am not saying it is neither useless nor counterproductive. But remember that the guys infront of them are firing live rounds into the crowd.
Take care out there and the will of the people will prevail.

Making anti-grab arm covers

(I had already posted this in a new thread before I saw that there was a thread specificly devoted to protest gear. If I had noticed this thread earlier I would have only posted this here. Unfortunately there is no delete option for topic-starting posts.)


I don't know how police in Iran fight, but my guess is that they fight the same way that police in the United States do. Police intend to dominate their opponent, which means that they typically fight by trying to put their opponent into an inferior, subjugated position. To do this, they often grab their opponent's arms, and brace their legs and/or hips against their opponent, then pull the opponent to the ground and continue to hold onto the arm. The cop then uses some kind of arm manipulation to dominate the opponent further.

Notice that all of this requires that the cop is gripping the opponent's arm. There is a way that one can prevent one's arms from being grabbed by the government's forces- make and use anti-grab arm covers.

This is what you will need to make anti-grab arm covers:
1. dozens of metal thumb tacks
2. paperboard
3. duct tape
4. scissors

'Paperboard' refers to the uncorrugated thick paper (usually unbleached light brown) that can be found in many food packagings (such as cereal boxes), and in the center of rolls of paper towels. The paperboard cylinders of paper towel rolls are especially useful for this purpose, because they are already curved.

To make anti-grab arm covers, first buy some food packages and/or rolls of paper towels, and separate the paperboard from the rest of the product. Use scissors to cut and form the paperboard into shapes that can wrap around your arms, covering them completely. Use duct tape to tape particular pieces of paperboard together if necessary, but be sure to leave the form of the arm covers open, so that you can wrap them tightly when putting them on.

After the initial paperboard forms are complete, punch thumb tacks through the paperboard (and through the duct tape, on any areas that have tape on them), such that the points of the tacks face outward. Use dozens of thumb tacks, such that the arms are completely covered. Placing tacks around the wrist area, which is most often grabbed, is especially important. As you are punching the tacks through, place strips of duct tape on the interior of the arm covers, so as to tape the backs of the tacks up against the inner side of the paperboard. After all of the tacks are taped in place, place a few long strips of duct tape on the outer sides of the arm covers, to serve as straps. One segment of these duct tape straps is to stay permanently taped in place on the paperboard, whereas the other segment is to be removable, such that one can fasten and undo the straps. The presence of the tack spikes, which go through the duct tape straps, also help in holding the straps in place.

These anti-grab arm covers should not be worn visibly, but should be worn under a long-sleeved shirt, so that the theocratic forces will grab your arms and get puncture wounds on their hands for having done so.


Notice:
I used Google Translate to make a rough farsi translation of this post, which I tried to edit-in to this post below the english text, but after I clicked the 'save changes' button, there was just a blank white screen and the edit did not occur.

add shields (trash can lids/plywood with straps nailed on/etc) to that and you can push the basij back through the sheer force of the crowd.

btw, puncturing motorcycle tires doesn't disable the motorcycle, even if the tires go completely flat. you have to knock the wheel off entirely.

Spray Paint

Try using spray paint on the front of helmets, motorcycle windshields, police shields. Act decisively! Spray so they cannot see, then grab their baton/shield/helmet. Don't hurt them, just disarm them so they can't hurt you or anyone else!

Stay in groups. Don't let them scatter or separate you. If you are in a group, then you may feel more emboldened to take them on. Several people can handle one policeman if you hold your ground. Again, don't hurt them. Just disarm them and let them go. Let them know you're better than they are!

Helmets, Shields.

Iranians:
If you have a motorcycle helmet, Wear it.
A trash can lid can be made into a shield.
A trash can cut into halves or thirds can make multiple rectangular shields.

Would it help to keep a bag of sand handy - throw it in the path of forces on Mobikes - might even work with jeeps.

How about night time protests where small groups of activists sand up the street exits out of police stations so that police on mobikes have a hrd time getting organized.

I am leading to guerilla protests - small groups - engage in acts of sabotage - even small blockades, nuisances etc for the repressive forces - create an obstacle and quickly leave w/o a trace. Maybe at night. Act in small groups, use anonymity, act quickly, cause a blockade, or set up booby traps for the police, or nusiance for the police and quickly leave.

Where down the enemy through millions of small acts of resistance, that leave the activists safe and anonymous, harass the security forces -confuse them when possible, annoy the hell out of them.

Likewise, on major streets, set up anonymous barricades - perhaps an anonymous shrine to martyrs like Neda - do this quickly and disappear at night - say at 3 am in the morning - come daylight - there is evidence of the protest for all to see.

Wear artifical clip on or add-on sharp nails that stick out. Wear a jacket with various metal things sticking out - or a cloak that can be quickly removed and thrown at a security officer giving you time to quickly make an escape.

Once again I would like to say what seems obvious but .. since nobody else seems to say it then i will. Carry a Quran. If the basiji try to strike you then use it as a shield. A picture of a basiji striking the quran will be worth 10x its weight in gold. It will be the best imaginable propaganda to generate international pressure for the regime to stop beating, imprisoning, and torturing its own people.

How to defend and protect yourself

Some tips in Farsi for defending yourself against Basiji forces.
آموزش فنون مبارزه خیابانی و شهری

Has the fire Died already?

I don't know what's going on since I'm on the outside looking in. It seems dim and bleak in Iran from where I am. The passion of the people to gain freedom seems to have been beaten down. The crimes of war seem to have smeared lifelessness across the once fiercely beating hearts of the Iranian people. Is it back to head covers for all females whether they believe in its purpose or not? The strict rule of religious fanatisism wins the day once again over the right of the majority to worship how, when or what they may?...or not even worship at all?
I wear my green wrist band and stand by the Iranian born love of my life as she prays for the land that she loves to be a safe place once again for her unborn child to run through and discover. But I stand by her side with only hope that a people who desire freedom will once again stand against a government who unjustly rules by terror. A government that no more inspires the hearts of its people than a active volcano inspires hope and happiness to the village beneath it. I hope to see another nation rise to greatness and prosperity because of the pride of its people and strenth it gives to the hearts that dwell there in.
My heart, prayers and thoughts are with you but please know that I'm only giving that much because it is you, the people of Iran, that MUST do the rest.
I don't mean to preach so please don't take it that way. I just want to see the strength of the Iranian people win and justice for all to prevail. Justice, that people believe in and not fearful of. Justice that protects the rights of the people. I wish for you and yours to be a democracy where you choose who leads you because they inspire you, and not to be led by someone because the are the better suited pawn of a larger religious zealot who believes himself to be the supreme ruler because of what several dozen say over the voice of millions!
Please tell me that the cause has not died like the martyrs that have went before it because unlike so other many causes, this one will lead to real happiness. This one is the cause of the millions instead of several dozen.
I love you all,
-Heart

Try to get your hands on darkened swim goggeks they will low flash bangs and save them from damage also large tube-o-wear container lids or sideds to protect from rubber bullets ->but if shooting does happen wirh real bullets->!! FORGET THE DAMN CAUSE AND RUN, YOU CAN FEEL BAD LATER ONLY IF YOU'R ALIVE TO DO IT!!<-

stop necroing old threads, or at least try to do it in style.