I saw kids being shot, women, old people': how a massacre unfolded in one Iranian city

"On Thursday 8 January, Iran went dark. In the midst of massive national protests, the government shut down the internet, phone calls, and almost all communication out of the country. That evening a violent crackdown began. In some cities, government forces opened fire on crowds, killing thousands according to some estimates, possibly tens of thousands in two days of bloodshed."

"At the moment the Iranian authorities shut down the internet, Ali*, 36, and his friends were already marching toward Shariati Street, which runs along the edge of the grand bazaar in Rasht, central Iran. By the time they reached the road, thousands of people were already there, chanting freedom slogans. The protests had been building since Tuesday, with people from smaller surrounding cities making their way to Rasht to join them."

"They flocked to the city's grand bazaar: a vibrant, historic marketplace, sprawling across a hive of interconnected streets. The market's location near the Haj Mojtahed mosque and at the intersection of arterial city streets made it the heart of Rasht's bustling life and a natural hub for the demonstrators. That evening, its narrow streets were packed. I would estimate there were more than 20,000 people surrounding the alleys and the boulevards near the bazaar, says Ali."

On 8 January Iranian authorities shut down the internet and phone services nationwide amid massive protests. Security forces initiated a violent crackdown that evening, with shootings in some cities and estimates of thousands, possibly tens of thousands, killed over two days. The communications blackout delayed assembly of a clear account from witnesses, videos, photographs, and hospital testimony. Demonstrations occurred in more than 200 cities according to human rights groups. In Rasht protesters gathered at the grand bazaar and along Shariati Street, drawing people from surrounding towns. Narrow bazaar alleys and arterial boulevards were packed with men, women and children, with crowds estimated above 20,000.

Read at www.theguardian.com