December 30, 2009 pro-government rally in Iran

December 30, 2009 pro-government rally in Iran

The 2009 pro-government rally in Iran, held by people as a response to Ashura protests
Native name	9 Dey rally
Date	30 December 2009
Location	Various cities in Iran
Cause	Desecration of day of Ashura

On December 30, 2009, pro-government demonstrations took place in Shiraz, Arak, Qom, Isfahan and Tehran, among other cities in Iran to protest recent anti-government demonstrations connected with the much disputed 2009 presidential election.

To protest the results of the 2009 Iranian presidential election, demonstrators took to the streets on 27 December 2009. The protests of 27 December 2009 fell on Ashura, a Shi'a holy day. The incident damaged "public relations" of the Green Movement with Iranian citizenry more than all events as the acts of the protesters on that day including "applauding, whistling, and engaging in other cheerful displays," was "widely" seen as violation of a "red line" and targeting Husayn ibn Ali and Ashura commemoration itself. Lolagar mosque in Teharn was set into fire by the "rioters", according to the State TV of Iran leading to death of "few" people in mosque. Various society groups including "marej-'e taqlid, the society of Iranian doctors, university student groups, the Iranian Parliament, Oil Industry Workers, the Iranian Women's Culture and Education Society, the Society of Iranian Teachers, the Iranian Professors Society, provincial governors, municipalities and bazaars" expressed their condemnation and many of them publicly asked for the "prosecution of the opposition leaders".

In response to the 27 December protest, pro-government protesters hold a rally in a "show of force" three days later on 30 December (9 Dey) to condemn Green Movement protester.

According to The New York Times "a witness said many demonstrators on Wednesday were taken to protest sites by dozens of buses and were given free chocolate milk, and the Associated Press said the government had given all civil servants the day off to attend the rallies." Participants numbered in the tens or hundreds of thousands. Slogans included "O free-willed leader, we are ready, we are ready" and “Death to Moussavi,” Speakers included Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, and speakers called on opposition leaders to repent from their opposition to the government or be declared "enemies of God" and face the death penalty.