World Watch
December 31, 2008 3:47 AM

Iranian Gaza Protesters Storm U.K. Embassy

By
Leily Lankarani
Topics
World Watch
Leily Lankarani is CBS News' producer in Tehran
.

(AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Iranian students stormed part of the British Embassy compound in north Tehran Tuesday night and occupied it for a short time.

The protest came after days of demonstrations in Iran against Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The students, who had been demonstrating in front of the Egyptian Interests Section, close to British Embassy, moved down the road and entered the compound holding Palestinian and Hezbollah flags. They replaced the British flag with the Palestinian flag.

According to sources from inside the protest movement, about 1,500 students from across the country gathered to protest the British government's support for the Israeli regime. About 300 students managed to occupy the compound.

Police tried to prevent the angry demonstrators entering the embassy compound, firing shots into the air.

None of the embassy personnel were injured in the siege but windows were broken and a car was damaged. The part of the British Embassy stormed by the students is used as a residence and also the British Council in Tehran.

Residents said a local outlet of the Benetton department store was also attacked at about midnight. Leaving for work in the morning they saw goods, shelving and hangers piled up outside the shop and all the windows were broken.

Protesters demanded an immediate halt on all imports from foreign companies which "are or support Zionists."

(AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Even members of Iran's Jewish community have actively protested against Israel's bombardment of Gaza.

A Jewish member of Iran's parliament condemned the military action in his speech Tuesday as dozens of Iranian Jewish students protested outside the United Nations office in Tehran (seen at left).

A number of Iranian student associations have asked the government to recall the country's ambassadors to Arab countries which have remained silent about Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, and to close the Egypt Interests Section in Tehran.

(Egypt has refused to open its border with Gaza unless Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gains control of the crossing. Abbas has had no control in Gaza since Hamas rose to power after an election more than year ago. Egypt's refusal to open the border completes the isolation of Gaza imposed by Israel on all other sides.)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for international support for the Palestinians in Gaza. He said the "real Holocaust" is now taking place in the Gaza Strip.

"It is very important for us to fulfill our humanitarian duties towards the defenseless people in Gaza and Palestine," said Ahmadinejad.

In response to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seed Ali Khomeini's call for all Muslims to support the Palestinians and condemn Israeli actions, there have been more than 100 demonstrations across Iran in recent days.

Add a Comment See all 29 Comments
by fluffy999999 January 2, 2009 2:21 PM EST
Finally... I believe that you and yours are scheduled for a suicide-vest test this afternoon. Please proceed to your nearest government office and detonate your suicide device as close to your brethren as possible. This will allow your government to test for maximum damage conditions!
Reply to this comment
by fluffy999999 January 2, 2009 2:18 PM EST
noloyalisti, While I am not a medical doctor, I am still inclined to believe that your towel is wrapped too tightly. Please loosen it up a bit and let some blood get to you brain. Perhaps then you will see the light.
Reply to this comment
by fluffy999999 January 2, 2009 2:11 PM EST
noloyalisti, While I am not a medical doctor, I am still inclined to believe that your towel is wrapped to tightly. Please loosen it up a bit and let some blood get to you brain. Perhaps then you will see the light.
Reply to this comment
by fluffy999999 January 2, 2009 2:10 PM EST
noloyalisti, While I am not a medical doctor, I am still inclined to believe that your towel is wrapped to tightly. Please loosen it up a bit and let some blood get to you brain. Perhaps then you will see the light.
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 January 1, 2009 12:14 AM EST
Posted by krotec54 at 11:23 AM : Dec 31, 2008



Islam is to everyone else in this world the same as Anti-matter is to matter. Matter gets along with everything and everyone and would get along with Anti-matter, The bad part is that Anti-matter cannot get along with anything (not even other Anti-matter) and that is why the Mid East should be exiled and sealed off until they can and will keep their religion to themselves and their hands off everybody else....
Reply to this comment
by lordsuntzu January 1, 2009 12:10 AM EST
[What would Jesus do?]
[Posted by noloyalisti at 11:20AM : Dec 31, 2008]

jesus would forgive ... or turn the other cheek, no?

Posted by bobnjersey at 11:23 AM : Dec 31, 2008
+ report abuse

******

jesus would sink iran and strike both of you guys down for blasphemy
Reply to this comment
by cox68 December 31, 2008 9:08 PM EST
We the U.S. and its allies during WW2 should have let the Nazi regime destroy the mullahs and been done with it a long time ago.
And no the U.S. is no angel but we do our best to live in a world of peace alot better than they do in the middle east who have been raging over religion for thousands of years. Which i cannot believe that the mullahs believe in a god that preaches to kill over one that preaches love and to respect one another no matter what religion cause our god tells us that the non-believer in him will pay upon there non -believes on judgement day so in the meantime let them live in peace , that only makes common sense, not to kill them!
Reply to this comment
by noloyalisti December 31, 2008 8:02 PM EST
Go Israel!

Posted by Fluffy999999

You have shown us all that you are a terrorist sympathizer. Israel and the US are the two biggest purveyors of terrorism worldwide. Only they claim self-defense. Always the victim is Israel. Heil!
Reply to this comment
by fluffy999999 December 31, 2008 5:49 PM EST
Personally, I think the majority of the Iranian leadership has inhaled too much sand. It affects how they think. I also think war between Iran and the US/Israel is inevitable. Knowing it will happen one day anyway, the sooner we get it over with the better. Go Israel!
Reply to this comment
by bobnjersey December 31, 2008 5:45 PM EST
[You can''''t kill thousands of women and children, take land and keep food and medicine from people and expect them not to fight back.]
[Posted by noloyalsti at 11:33 AM : Dec 31, 2008]

no doubt.

you also can''t keep firing missiles indiscriminately toward those you hate and not expect the shet to rain down on your head.
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