The Word Quote of the Week this week goes to Ahmad Reza Radan, Tehran’s police chief.
It seems that police in Tehran are cracking down on women who “dress like models” and men that have “Western-style haircuts and clothing”. All of this is in an effort to “increase security in society” for the Islamic state.
Rather than cracking down on crime, the police seem to think that guarding fashion is the thing that will prevent the slow decay of Iranian society. Apparently women that wear clothing that is too figure hugging or short or have veils that expose hair and men with un-Islamic hairstyles, along with clothes shops and hairdressers are all being targeted.
Have a look at this shot. The woman on the right (with a face like she’s just sucked a lemon) is the police officer. The other woman in this shot was subsequently bundled into a police van where she protested for her freedom.
(Photo: AFP)
Apparently offenders are initially warned, then taken for “consultation” to correct the error of their ways. “Normally the problem is resolved here,” said police spokesman, Mr Mehdi Ahmadi. “If not, and these cases are often those of reoffenders, the case is sent to the judiciary.”
Anyway, the bizarre and medieval behaviour of the Iranian theocracy aside, let’s get to the comment that’s taking out the coveted and strangely infrequent Quote of the Week award.
The city’s police chief, Ahmad Reza Radan, discussing the reasoning for the fashion crackdown, said:
“Some young people, intentionally or unwittingly, are walking advertisements for Western deviant sexual and Satan-worshipping cults.”
That’s right, Ahmad. We here in the “West” brainwash your young people in a recruitment drive for our Satan worship.
