New Student Protests in Iran

The Spirit of Man has the story of students protesting in Tehran against the mullahs plans for for the University of Tehran. They want to impose changes that the student body doesn't agree with - forced retirements of professors and increased restrictions.

Senior student leader Abdollah Momeni said up to 2,000 students had gathered for the protest over the expulsion of some students and the way authorities had been handling critics.

He added 20 had been seized by Islamic vigilantes who broke into the dormitories.

"The main reason for the objections in recent days goes back to the limitations imposed on universities and political students after the new government came to power," Momeni said.

Religious conservative Ahmadinejad was inaugurated in August.

"Some active students have been expelled and some students face mass summons before disciplinary committees. We are also objecting to recent dealings with critical professors such as Ramin Jahanbegloo," he added.

Iran earlier this month said it had arrested philosopher Jahanbegloo on charges of espionage. He specialized in liberal political philosophy and worked extensively on developing understanding between Iran and the West.

Other student witnesses said the crowd had chanted "Down with despotism" and hurled stones at police cars outside the dormitories, breaking their windows.

More details and photos can be gleaned from here:

AFP quotes unidentified sources as saying the students are protesting the changing of university rectors and the forced retirement of some professors.

Iran's IRNA state news agency quotes Tehran's police chief, General Morteza Talaie, as saying the overnight clashes in front of the Tehran University dormitories left some 40 law-enforcement officers lightly injured. Talaie also blamed "thugs from outside the university" for attacking the police with stones.

UPDATE:
So what are the students actually protesting about? The mullahs are trying to impose further restrictions on the curriculum and speech at the universities. In one instance a Kurdish professor was brutalized for distributing a student newspaper on campus. They're also protesting against the crackdown on mixed-sex gatherings, the expulsion of some students.

The BBC notes the following:

There were also protests at Tehran's Amirkabir University about activities of the hardline Basij militia.

The militia had "interfered in elections" for the Islamic Students Association, a pro-reform group.

Iran's student news agency INSA said protestors shouted "Death to reactionaries and dictatorship!" and "We don't want the Islam of the Taleban".

Amirkabir University is one of Iran's most prestigious technical colleges and research centres.