Clashes smear University of Jordan Student Union Elections

2011-12-22

By Alaa Elayyan

AMMONNEWS - Clashes erupted throughout the day on Thursday at the University of Jordan (UJ) as students caste their ballots in the Student Union elections.

Security forces intensified their presence around the campus as several brawls erupted in various faculties, including the humanities, medicine, sciences, and engineering departments.

Two students were injured in the clashes and were transferred to the University of Jordan hospital for treatment.

University security guards worked to contain the various fights that erupted, as Public Security Directorate (PSD) personnel remained outside the campus near the main gates.

Meanwhile, Dean of the Humanities Department Dr. Abdullah Anbar announced on Thursday morning postponing the English Department elections until next week after clashes erupted there when students supporting one candidate prevented other students from casting their ballots.

Angry students stormed into the university's President's building after the department's elections were postponed, leading UJ's vice-president to meet with them to contain the incident.

UJ President Adel Tweisi told Ammon News on Thursday that head of the elections' committee in the humanities department worked to contain the incident after young men covering their faces with scarfs and masks prevented female students from voting.

Students also vandalized university property in the Business Department and blocked the entrances to the engineering department.

Source: Ammon News.
Link: http://en.ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=15051.