The grand bazaar in Rasht after the fire on 8 January Photograph: Courtesy of Tavaana<\/p>\n
On Thursday 8 January, Iran went dark. In the midst of massive national protests, the government shut down the internet, phone calls, and almost all communication out of the country. That evening a violent crackdown began. In some cities, government forces opened fire on crowds, killing thousands \u2013 according to some estimates<\/a>, possibly tens of thousands \u2013 in two days of bloodshed. The internet blackout has meant that a clearer picture of what happened \u2013 drawn from witness reports, videos, photographs and testimony from hospitals \u2013 has taken time to assemble.<\/p>\n When the violence began, there were demonstrations taking place in more than 200 cities, according to human rights groups. This is the story of what unfolded in one of them.<\/p>\n Thursday 8 January At the moment the Iranian authorities shut down the internet, Ali*, 36, and his friends were already marching toward Shariati Street, which runs along the edge of the grand bazaar in Rasht, central Iran<\/a>. By the time they reached the road, thousands of people were already there, chanting freedom slogans.<\/p>\n The protests had been building since Tuesday, with people from smaller surrounding cities making their way to Rasht to join them. They flocked to the city\u2019s grand bazaar: a vibrant, historic marketplace, sprawling across a hive of interconnected streets. The market\u2019s location near the Haj Mojtahed mosque and at the intersection of arterial city streets made it the heart of Rasht\u2019s bustling life \u2013 and a natural hub for the demonstrators. That evening, its narrow streets were packed. \u201cI would estimate there were more than 20,000 people surrounding the alleys and the boulevards near the bazaar,\u201d says Ali.<\/p>\n The grand bazaar in Rasht is a vibrant, historic marketplace at the heart of the city. Photograph: NurPhoto\/Getty Images<\/p>\n People of every age were there, he says. \u201cMy friend brought along his wife and his two daughters, one nine and the other 12. We were all so happy and felt united to be together for freedom.\u201d Even when they realised that the internet had been cut off, he wasn\u2019t worried. \u201cIt didn\u2019t matter if there was no internet or no calls. We were all in this together and didn\u2019t feel any danger.\u201d<\/p>\n About a kilometre north-west of Shariati Street was Siamak*, 40. He had been cautious about joining the demonstrations, saying that the atmosphere had felt heavy as crowds swelled across the city. But he understood why they were there.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople were pushed to their limits. We couldn\u2019t afford the basics,\u201d Siamak says. He had been at the bazaar earlier that week, buying 2kg (4.4lb) of tangerines. They cost him 580,000 tomans, or about \u00a33.40 \u2013 more than a day\u2019s pay for Iranians on the minimum wage. \u201cEverything just felt unaffordable. People just stood there, unable to buy food. That triggered the anger,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n As he drove through the city, Siamak saw old people, children, entire families joining the march. Groups of teenagers jumped out of cars and headed to the market. \u201cI lowered the window of my car and told them, \u2018May god protect you, I hope you are safe.\u2019\u201d But as the day wore on, he felt reassured that the people were strong in numbers. \u201cBy Thursday afternoon, the conversations changed,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople felt ashamed for staying home. Parents spoke about their children and still said, \u2018Why shouldn\u2019t we go?\u2019 It was no longer about money. It was about dignity.\u201d He, too, joined the thronging crowds.<\/p>\n 8pm<\/p>\n As night fell over the bazaar and surrounding streets, no one was going home. Making your way through the crowds took time. From Moallem Boulevard, about 15 minutes\u2019 walk from the bazaar, Siamak had slowly wound his way through sidestreets to Rasht\u2019s Municipality Square, which lies on the same block as the market. He climbed up to a rooftop to get a view. \u201cThe crowd was massive,\u201d he says. Every street was packed.<\/p>\n Map showing Rasht Grand Bazaar and the routes of Ali and Siamak<\/a><\/p>\n Over on Shariati Street, Ali and his friends chanted slogans as they got closer to the alleys near the bazaar. The atmosphere felt jubilant, Ali says \u2013 when suddenly, he felt something shift. \u201cThe feeling of victory turned to fear,\u201d he says, \u201cI can\u2019t explain the seconds before the catastrophe. I can\u2019t explain how that felt. Our hearts were racing. We were being surrounded by security forces and plainclothes officers with masks.\u201d He saw a set of white Toyota Hilux vehicles with machine guns making their way into the crowds. Even at this point, he says, he and his friends were not really afraid \u2013 they could not imagine what was to come next.<\/p>\n From just outside the market, Siamak recognised the sounds of shooting.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard explosions and nonstop gunfire coming from the direction of the bazaar. People started running out toward the surrounding streets. Some were screaming. Some were bleeding. From them, we learned what was happening inside,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Video footage showing a fire engine and people milling around as smoke billows against a night sky that is lit up with flames<\/a><\/p>\n Soon, he smelled smoke and saw a red light in the sky. A fire was engulfing the market.<\/p>\n 8.30pm<\/p>\n Ali thinks it was probably about 8.30pm when he spotted that the market was burning. It is not clear exactly where, when and how the flames started, but \u201cthe fire spread rapidly\u201d, he says. \u201cPeople inside were in a dilemma, whether to run towards us or to save those in the fire. As soon as the smoke started to spread, and we were trying to make space, we saw huge crowds fleeing the fire and running towards the street.\u201d Then, the security forces began to shoot.<\/p>\n \u201cThe security forces began shooting at the fleeing crowds,\u201d he says. \u201cI saw people being shot directly in the head, with AK47, G3 and also Dushka guns. It was as if you could see how hell burns. I still can\u2019t explain to you what I saw.\u201d One group of guards started firing in his direction, and Ali and his friends ran for cover.<\/p>\n
5pm<\/p>\n