Hundreds of Jordanians set up a protest camp in a main square in the capital on Thursday to press demands for the ouster of the prime minister and wider public freedoms. The 500 protesters appeared to be mostly university students or unemployed graduates unaffiliated with any political party. Many said they met through Facebook last month to launch a group called the Jordanian Youth Movement.
Group spokesman Ziad al-Khawaldeh said protesters would remain outdoors until Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit departs. Other demands include dissolving what is widely seen as a docile parliament, dismantling the largely feared intelligence department and giving greater powers to the people.
The group changed its name Thursday to "Youth of March 24" — marking what members said was the start of an open-ended demonstration.
"Today is the dawning of the Jordanian revolution," said group spokesman Ziad al-Khawaldeh, 23.
"We will not move an inch from here until our demands are met," he said under pouring rain at the Interior Ministry Circle in the heart of the Jordanian capital. The district houses the Interior Ministry and police, financial and other government offices as well as Western hotels.
Protesters waved banners that called for a "new Jordan, clean of corruption and corrupt officials."
"Intelligence Department, we want your hands off politics!" they chanted.
Al-Khawaldeh said the protesters want Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit to be "instantly replaced with a liberal government that would quickly implement reforms." (read more)
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