Anti-Ahmadinejad cry from face-of-protests graveside

Police force Moussavi to leave Neda memorial,use batons to disperse protesters....

Iranian police fired tear gas and beat anti-government protesters with batons to disperse thousands at a graveside memorial on Thursday for victims of post-election violence,witnesses and state television said.

Demonstrations that drew thousands more later spread to other parts of Tehran and more clashes with security forces erupted. Witnesses said police fired tear gas at dozens of demonstrators on Valiasr Street who set tires and trash cans ablaze in response.

Police barred opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi from joining the crowd around the grave of Neda Agha Soltan,a young woman shot at a June 20 rally to protest the disputed presidential election. The 27-year-old music students dying moments were filmed and circulated widely on the Web.

Neda is alive,Ahmadinejad is dead, some of those at the cemetery chanted,referring to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,who the opposition claims won the June 12 poll by fraud. Plainclothes forces charged at them with batons and tear gas.

With Thursdays memorial,the opposition aimed to harness growing anger over abuses in the nearly seven-week-old crackdown and give their movement further momentum.

Thousands also gathered at the main Mosalla mosque in central Tehran despite the government refusing a request from the opposition for a gathering there to mourn the dead.

When Moussavi arrived at the grave site,the police surrounded him. Moussavi was then forced to leave Behesht-e Zahra,the cemetery on Tehrans outskirts where many of those killed in the crackdown,including Neda,have been buried.

Story continues below this ad

The police charge came when an ally of Moussavi,Mahdi Karroubi who was also a candidate in the June 12 election tried to give a speech. Even after the clash,thousands of supporters continued to visit Nedas grave. Police arrested two prominent filmmakers when they tried to lay flowers at Nedas grave.

The memorial service marked the end of the 40-day mourning period under Islam for 10 people killed in protests,including Neda.