A U-Haul truck barreled through a demonstration in Los Angeles on Sunday, sparking outrage and confusion amidst protests against the Iranian regime. The driver, 48-year-old Calor Madanescht, now in police custody, insists his actions were not malicious, claiming a startling sequence of events led to the chaotic scene.
Madanescht alleges that Los Angeles Police Department officers actually directed him onto the street filled with protesters, believing he was joining the demonstration. He stated his intention was to show support, but a confrontation quickly erupted with a group supporting the former Shah of Iran.
“I was really afraid for my life,” Madanescht recounted, describing a sudden attack. He claims some within the crowd even helped clear a path for him to escape the escalating violence, urging him to leave. Video footage circulating online depicts the U-Haul moving rapidly through the dense crowd on Veteran Avenue, near the Federal Building.
The truck itself bore a bold message: “NO SHAH. NO REGIME. USA: DON’T REPEAT 1953. NO MULLAH.” Madanescht emphasized his core belief, stating, “All I want is peace and human rights for everyone in Iran and for minorities.”
After stopping the truck, Madanescht says the situation worsened, with demonstrators turning on him. He displayed visible injuries – a bandaged hand, a cut ear, bruises, and black eyes – as evidence of the assault. Another video shows protesters swarming the vehicle, one climbing onto the windshield and others attempting to strike the driver through an open window with flagpoles.
Witness accounts offer conflicting perspectives. One protester, identified as Mehdi, defended Madanescht, stating, “They kept punching him, hitting him… They broke the window, kicked the truck, assaulted him, and he has a right to free speech.”
However, another protester questioned Madanescht’s claim about police direction, casting doubt on his version of events. Despite the conflicting accounts, Madanescht maintains his presence at the protest was peaceful and expresses gratitude for the police intervention that he believes saved his life.
The incident unfolded against a backdrop of widespread unrest in Iran, where protests initially sparked by economic concerns have evolved into a direct challenge to the nation’s clerical leadership. The demonstrations have been met with a harsh crackdown, resulting in a significant number of arrests and deaths.
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 18,470 people have been arrested in Iran, and a confirmed death toll has reached 2,615, including 13 children under the age of 18. The ongoing struggle highlights the deep-seated frustrations and demands for change within Iranian society.
The Los Angeles incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatile emotions and potential for conflict surrounding the Iranian protests, both within Iran and among its diaspora communities abroad. The investigation continues as authorities attempt to piece together the full sequence of events and determine the extent of culpability.
