More than 40,000 people in Shahr-e Kord demonstrated on Thursday, April 17, 2014 to protest the construction of an illegal tunnel in Behesht-Abad and Golab area with the aim of redirecting the Zayandeh-Rood, river from their districts.
The protesters who had planned in advance and called for this gathering, rallied toward the famous Bazar Sq. where the governorate’s office is located. Demonstrators chanted “Zayandeh-Rood will be ours to the end” and “tunnels must be demolished.”

A group of protesters carried shovels and hacks and demanded the tunnel to be destroyed or they would demolish it themselves.
A number of paramilitary Bassieg forces tied to the government tried to take advantage by promoting their election slogans, but were rejected and repelled by the protesters.