Reactions to the Destruction of Street Cafes; Countering Subcultures and 'Retaliation' for Ekbatan Protests

The destruction of street cafes in the second phase of Ekbatan Township has sparked reactions. Some view this action as an attempt to eradicate subcultures that differ from the government, while others consider it a security measure in response to protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. Officials of the Islamic Republic cited 'municipal issues' as the reason for demolishing several street cafes that had been operating in Ekbatan for the past ten years. Several residents of Ekbatan reported that the demolition of about ten cafes and restaurants, which had become popular hangouts for locals, took place at dawn using cranes, leaving 'nothing but a pile of tents' from the street cafes in Ekbatan. According to some social media users, the attack on Ekbatan's cafes by government forces, including 'Basijis', began with the onset of protests after Mahsa Amini's death. They stated that at the same time as the cafes were being demolished on Sunday, 'security forces in helmets and black masks' were present to avoid identification. Reports indicate that '20 riot police motorcycles', each with two passengers, were also at the site of the cafe demolitions, and the demolition operation began 'at five in the morning' due to fears of residents' reactions. A cafe owner in Ekbatan told the Shargh network on Tuesday, May 25, that they had received a 'warning' from the municipality six months prior, stating that 'the cafe would be closed due to its location in shared spaces and also due to bad hijab and corruption.' According to this report, the owners of the demolished cafes between blocks 15 and 16 of phase two are 'local youth, mostly educated', who had 'struggled' to gather the capital to start their businesses. A young woman residing in Ekbatan stated that contrary to officials' claims, the demolition of these cafes 'has nothing to do with shared spaces', as the Megamal and Dar al-Quran buildings in blocks 15 and 19 are also 'in shared spaces', yet despite residents' protests, 'they are not touched.' A middle-aged cafe owner expressed that 'this was my only investment', stating they incurred losses of about '600 to 700 million tomans', and other cafe owners are in similar situations. Shargh reported that some attributed the demolition of the cafes to 'promoting corruption and prostitution', while others cited 'problems related to the municipality and urban beautification.' According to the Eko Iran website, Ehsan Sharifi, the mayor of District 5, stated that the street cafes at Kowsar Bazaar in Ekbatan were 'set up without permits and were occupying shared spaces' and that their demolition was carried out with 'judicial orders and coordination with the police and relevant agencies.' The District 5 mayor claimed that 'all the property of the cafe owners' was returned to them after 'a police report' and that 'only the structural columns were demolished.' This official claimed that the request to 'remove the encroachment of shared spaces' was raised in a meeting attended by 'about 12 members of the block boards and trusted individuals of Ekbatan' and that there was no 'political perspective' involved, and if they had made a 'payment' to the municipality, they would 'definitely stand by their rights, but there was no claim of ownership.' Sharifi stated that 'the municipality was pursuing the rights of residents living near the cafes who were facing problems', but residents around Kowsar Bazaar told Shargh that these cafes were 'tourist attractions of the township' and had a 'friendly atmosphere.' Some social media users view the demolition of 'cozy places' and 'hangout spots' and 'nightlife' as part of the Islamic Republic's plans to counter 'subcultures that differ from the official culture.' Some users also consider this action as 'retaliation for the protests' in Ekbatan.