What began last night as a public attempt to mark the memory of Neda Soltan — the 27-year-old woman whose killing came to represent the vicious crackdown by Iran security forces after June’s disputed presidential election — turned into yet another violent situation.

Tens of thousands of Iranian protesters took to the streets of central Tehran and a cemetery, defying Iran’s ban on public meetings. Security forces unleashed tear gas, and The Guardian reports that witnesses heard gunfire, with some reports that at least one man was killed. Others were arrested. The Guardian also says baton-wielding riot police beat hundreds of people who turned out to honor Soltan and other protest victims. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the reform candidate who protested the results of the elections that called President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner, was forced by police to leave. Many people chanted: "Neda is alive, Ahmadinejad is dead."

One protester in central Tehran told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that people seemed less intimidated by police but wanted to defend themselves.

"[Police forces] were beating a girl [and] people ran after [the officers and] two of them fell. People started clapping their hands," the protester said. "It’s amazing, worth seeing. It’s the first time that I’ve seen in recent protests that people are attacking the riot force and they’re escaping."

Iranian officials say 30 people have died since the June 20 election protests, but many reformers and protesters say that number is much higher. Many prominent lawyers and activists — many of them women — have also been jailed. These reformers and protesters are putting themselves at great risk to try to take back Iran from the anti-Western hardliners in charge. These brave people should know they have the support of many around the world. 

Below is some video of last night’s protest: