I just returned from New York City. All in all, I believe the demonstrations succeeded, as much as any demonstration can succeed when 6,000 miles away from the epicenter of events. A few thoughts:
- The opposition in Iran is far more united than the Iranian diaspora community of the United States is. I'd estimate Wednesday's crowd size to be around 7,000. A very rough estimate, but more to the point, I'd say 75% were "Green." There was a sizable monarchists showing - I'd say 20%. (The rest were a mix of communists, Mujahadeen, and tourists.) Of course, there are those who could have been pro-Democracy folk who just prefer the old flag. The insistence of such people to display this flag is completely beyond me. Yes, it is a national symbol - but it is a poisoned national symbol, much like how the swastika is a poisoned religious symbol. I don't see many Buddhists using the swastika since WWII. Let it go!
- The IRI will have no problem manipulating this week's event on state propaganda television. Related to the above point, the monarchists crowd had the better permits from the City of New York. Therefore, they were front and center, across the street from the United Nations building, while the separate (but much larger) Green crowd was given the rest of the closed off street and promenade, directly behind them. Video footage from the doors of the United Nations, then, will mostly show monarchist flags waving, with the sea of Green hidden behind.
- International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran's moving billboard (accusing Ahmadinejad of human rights violations and pictured below) was brilliant, and it worked. Every time it passed, people cheered and rushed towards it. Where the regular, passing public had grown accustomed to the Green rally, their attention was again suddenly grabbed whenever the billboard drove by and protesters loudly cheered. Several cars, too, honked when they saw the billboard pass.
- The Green Scroll is destined to become an iconic artifact in the years to come. First sown together in Paris, then sent to Stockholm and the Hague, the Green Scroll arrived in New York and was marched across the Brooklyn Bridge. I was the fifth person from the front of the line carrying the scroll, and based on my own personal observations, there was a much higher media presence covering this story than the previous day's rally. It has an iconic and almost-romantic element to it, and if and when Iran becomes democratic, I would not be surprised to see it find its way to Tehran, where may finally rest.
- Being shunned in front of his guests was embarrassing for Ahmadinejad. Having your reception canceled at three different hotels simply because of who you are usually is.
Here are a few selected pictures I took from Wednesday and Thursday:
