Jordan police attack anti-govt. march

Fri Jul 15, 2011

At least ten people have been injured after Jordanian police attacked anti-government protesters demanding reforms in the capital, Amman.

The unrest took place as hundreds of demonstrators shouting anti-government slogans tried to march from the al-Husseini mosque to the city hall on Friday.

Most of the injured are reported to be journalists.

"We were beaten by police, although we were wearing special press vests. We thought we would be safe when we stood next to the police and away from the clashes," said an AFP photographer who was injured by Jordanian police.

Some reports, however, suggest that police armed with batons got involved after pro- and anti-government supporters clashed.

Jordanian protesters demand political and economic reforms and an end to corruption. They have also called for the resignation of Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit's and his cabinet and dissolution of the parliament, which they see as a puppet of the regime.

"Rulers, we want to reform the regime. We want the palace to hear the voices of Jordanians," the demonstrators chanted on Friday.

"We need political, economic and social reforms for future generations," and "It's our right to fight corruption," read banners carried by anti-government protesters in Amman.

Similar anti-government protest rallies were also held in the southern cities of Tafileh, Man and Karak, as well as Irbid and Jerash in the north.

Jordan has faced anti-government rallies demanding reforms and an end to corruption since January.

Last month, in a bid to appease protesters, King Abdullah II announced some concessions, including the formation of future governments that were based on an elected parliamentary majority rather than one appointed by the monarch.

But he later said it may take two to three years to put an elected government in place.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/189246.html.