Arrest the imposters
Arrest the imposters: The release of a video showing a brutal encounter with a citizen in Nazi Abad has taken the issue of what is referred to as ‘imposters’ to a new phase. Although many believe that plainclothes agents or imposters are not a phenomenon that acts separately or outside the framework of power to confront people, to the extent that a Twitter user wrote that we went from self-appointed agents of Allah Karam to imposters; there is no difference, both beat people.
The attacks, insults, and threats from the plainclothes agents or, as they call themselves, imposters—those of them who wear uniforms and hats—by releasing videos from Ekbatan, Chitgar, and universities while carrying weapons have raised the question among people of who they are and which power institution supports their attacks on people. This question has not been answered so far, and no one has taken responsibility for them.
Nevertheless, the police have issued a statement announcing the pursuit and confrontation with the offenders and have asked people to provide their footage of the officers’ actions to the national police command, although they haven’t specified how and through what means, and how the safety of a citizen who takes such action will be ensured. If a citizen films the misconduct of a police officer and then faces repercussions from the same officer, what will be their fate, and how can they defend themselves? Similar to what happened to Shirin Alizadeh during filming.
Hamshahri and the imposter game
The issue became more serious when the Hamshahri newspaper published a report and images of two suppressive forces whose film was also released under the title ‘The Story of Imposters in the City,’ measuring and comparing them with the police force and concluding that they are not members of the police force, and then labeling them as imposters. However, it did not say where the police force is that does not confront them. Hamshahri newspaper, in its imagination, intended to exonerate the special unit and the police force, but by this separation, it has raised new issues, such as who is responsible for these imposters.
People’s disbelief in the claim of imposters is so much that a Twitter user asked where they sell the uniforms, batons, hats, and guns of these imposters so we can buy them too. Another user sarcastically wrote about where imposters get their salaries and bonuses. Another user wrote that the power structure even sacrifices its suppressive forces when necessary and evades responsibility for them.
Imposter or double standard
Now, many more questions have been raised, such as how protesters on the street are easily arrested, but those attacking people, who are said not to be affiliated with the police, are not. Some have even raised the issue that in this case, the conditional right of defense for street protesters is preserved to take retaliatory action against these individuals. A Twitter user wrote that according to the police statement, it means dear people, wherever you see an imposter, it is your duty to deal with them so that the real police are cleared of their disgrace.
Another user wrote that they say the police previously stated that thug imposters would come to the field, and in summary, be careful because their violence knows no bounds. For destruction and creating casualties, who should be careful? Me, the people. What knows no bounds is the audacity. Another user wrote that when the police beat and kill people, they say it’s imposters, but when people take revenge on imposters, they suddenly become police.
A Twitter user wrote how the street cameras, which report the tiniest detail of a girl’s hair inside a car, are blind when it comes to seeing imposters with a height of three and a half meters and weighing six hundred kilos, or why when the special police unit can be fake, the Shahcheragh terrorist cannot be counterfeit, why a ruthless plainclothes agent can be an infiltrator but a vulgar protester cannot, or a journalist can be a spy but a cleric cannot be a tool of division and a threat to national security.
Narrative from insiders
It seems that the issue of plainclothes agents and imposters is entering a new phase with narratives recently published by some figures close to or within the power structure of the principlist faction. The first narrative was from Javad Moghui, a principlist documentarian who went among the people to understand what was happening on the streets and returned with a bruised and broken head, sharing his own narrative.
The second narrative, which has recently been published and received much feedback, is from Shahram Gilabadi, the former head of public relations for Tehran Municipality and a close associate of Ghalibaf, who encountered insults and beatings by plainclothes agents in Revolution Square. The noteworthy part of his narrative is that he says he called the police at 110 and even complained to a police officer who was observing and witnessing on the street, but not only did he not receive a supportive response, he was told that there’s nothing we can do.
Lastly, in the released videos, fortunately, the faces of individuals wearing the uniform of the relief unit are clearly visible. Now that it has been announced that these individuals, by wearing police uniforms, committed criminal acts and staged scenes, it is expected that they will be quickly arrested and tried. It is also expected that those who severely assaulted a citizen in a new distressing video will be identified and punished, and more importantly, that the presence of plainclothes agents and imposters across the country will be eliminated. Will such an event occur?
