TEHRAN -- National Police Chief Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam has asked the peaceful people opposed to the government’s policies to distance themselves from the violent protesters.

He also warned violent protesters that the police will not stand idly by to be beaten by rioters. Rather, they will use their equipment to respond to the rioters, he added.
Ahmadi-Moqaddam was referring to the clashes between rioters and police on Sunday, which was the day of Ashura, which is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and his 72 companions.
“These people should know that the police will no longer stand idly by to be beaten, but will use all their tools and equipment to seriously deal with rioters,” Ahmadi-Moqaddam said on Wednesday at a gathering of police officers in Tehran.
“Opponents must differentiate themselves from the rioters since rioters attack police and damage public property,” he added.
About 120 policemen were injured in last Sunday’s protests and 60 of them were hospitalized, the police chief stated.
Ahmadi-Moqaddam said violent protesters have been taking advantage of the police’s self-restraint over the past few months.
Nowhere in the world are police beaten by rioters and not authorized to use their equipment to deal with violent demonstrators, he noted.
On Sunday, Tehran Police Chief Azizollah Rajabzadeh was injured as he was inviting rioters to calm down, he said.
The rioters also torched two cars and several police motorcycles and damaged public property.
The incidents on Ashura day were preplanned, he noted.
“We cannot say that all those who” participated in last Sunday’s protests were violent protesters, but there is a hidden plan behind the incidents on Sunday, he observed.
He also said that the people arrested by the police will not be treated in a moderate manner as in the past and added that the detainees will not be freed until thorough investigations are completed