this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2026
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As details of the death toll for January’s protests continue to emerge, three students explain why they are resisting a return to normality

More than 45 days after a brutal January crackdown that left thousands of Iranian protesters dead, students across several universities are protesting again. As Iran’s new academic term began on Saturday, students in Tehran gathered on campus, chanting anti-government slogans, despite a heavy security presence and plainclothes officers stationed outside university gates.

The Guardian spoke to protesting students about why they were rallying despite the fact that thousands had been killed and tens of thousands arrested in the January demonstrations.

“Our classrooms are empty because the graveyards are full,” said Hossein*, 21, a student at the University of Tehran. “It’s for them – our friends, classmates and compatriots, who were gunned down in front of our eyes, that we decided to boycott the classes.”

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[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

But it's genuinely disheartening how readily nominally progressive spaces are jumping abord the manufactured consent for an imperialist military intervention by Israel and the US.

Please provide evidence where this generally left-of-centre british reporting is "manufacturing consent". Which text lines do you think are trying to make us readers agree to that kind of action by these two states?

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

From the Wikipedia article of Atrocity Propaganda (I added emphasis):

Atrocity propaganda is the spreading of information about the crimes committed by an enemy, which can be factual, but often includes or features deliberate fabrications or exaggerations. This can involve photographs, videos, illustrations, interviews, and other forms of information presentation or reporting

"The inherently violent nature of war means that exaggeration and invention of atrocities often becomes the main staple of propaganda. Patriotism is often not enough to make people hate the enemy, and propaganda is also necessary"

The application of atrocity propaganda is not limited to times of conflict but can be implemented to sway public opinion and create a casus belli to declare war

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Nice wiki quote. Now show me, where this applies to the article.

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

From the text in the post, I've added emphasis:

‘Our classrooms are empty because the graveyards are full’: Iran’s students on why they are protesting again

As details of the death toll for January’s protests continue to emerge, three students explain why they are resisting a return to normality

More than 45 days after a brutal January crackdown that left thousands of Iranian protesters dead, students across several universities are protesting again. As Iran’s new academic term began on Saturday, students in Tehran gathered on campus, chanting anti-government slogans, despite a heavy security presence and plainclothes officers stationed outside university gates.

The Guardian spoke to protesting students about why they were rallying despite the fact that thousands had been killed and tens of thousands arrested in the January demonstrations.

“Our classrooms are empty because the graveyards are full,” said Hossein*, 21, a student at the University of Tehran. “It’s for them – our friends, classmates and compatriots, who were gunned down in front of our eyes, that we decided to boycott the classes.”

There is literally not one paragraph in the post text without atrocity propaganda, some paragraphs with several cases. Are you being purposefully obtuse?

They are spreading details about the crimes committed by the enemy, whether factual or not, and this can serve to justify a casus belli. It's literally the definition of atrocity propaganda.

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (3 children)

You'd need to show how this is more than simply reporting events and the POV of participants. You'd have to show how the intention is propaganda, how the article manipulates the reader, etc. You'd need to show how this differs from the reporting of ICE crimes, for example.

And then you'd need to show how the article tries to convince me that a US military intervention would be something I as a european should support.

[–] sen@lemmy.zip 2 points 23 minutes ago

I feel like so many on this post just think we should cease all reporting about Bad Things because the reporting could be used as propaganda to those who lack the ability to think critically.

Smh so many slow people around today.

[–] Schmoo@slrpnk.net 0 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

And then you'd need to show how the article tries to convince me that a US military intervention would be something I as a european should support.

You, as a european, are not the target demographic.

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Schmoo@slrpnk.net -1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

It should be obvious that the target demographic for atrocity propaganda about an enemy of the US is US Americans.

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 hour ago

Why should US citizens be the target audience for a british medium?

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Reporting ICE crimes is also atrocity propaganda. Propaganda doesn't mean it's bad, it just means you're swaying public opinion. I believe that spreading anti-ICE propaganda is good because ICE are a bunch of fascist pigs, I believe that propagating anti-Iran propaganda in the context of the military buildup against Iran is bad because it serves to justify the casus belli and the upcoming military invasion.

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

it just means you're swaying public opinion.

How exactly is this article doing this?

Propaganda is communication that is primaroly used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda. Methods to do so would be using selective facts, loaded language, etc so the audience does not come to a rational conclusion but a fabricated one.
Which facts does the article leave out, where does the article use loaded language, which effects do these parts have and how does that make me, a european, want the US go to war on Iran?

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 0 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

so the audience does not come to a rational conclusion but a fabricated one

That's not how propaganda works, propaganda explicitly can be true information as explained to you before using the Wikipedia article. I literally quoted it to you, it can be factual information.

Mentioning atrocities in every single paragraph is the biggest case of atrocity propaganda, and if you are purposefully obtuse enough not to see it, just drop this conversation.

[–] CyberEgg@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Where did I state the information used for propaganda can't be true? In the sentence you quoted I talk about the audience's conclusion, not the presented information.

You repeatedly fail to show where the concepts you present are applicable to the article. You keep deflecting, moving goalposts around and dodging the actual questions.

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 0 points 5 hours ago (1 children)
[–] DaMummy@hilariouschaos.com 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

I applaud your patience. "obtuse" is such a mild term to what's deserving.

[–] Riverside@reddthat.com 2 points 4 hours ago

I find it hard to engage with these people without using ableist terms, I've settled on "purposefully obtuse" because it's clear and neutral enough I believe. Thanks for reading anyway