According to the report of Pak Sahafat News Agency, the fuel price protests that have started in Jordan for the past two weeks and have inflamed the streets of this country, have now become a security risk and a political challenge for the political system ruling this country. Despite the restrictions created in the virtual space and the deployment of facilities and security forces, the night protests continue and bring new issues with them.
The increase in fuel prices and strikes
“Akhbar al-Jordan” news site reported that the Jordanian strikes started on December 5 from the city of Ma’an, 217 kilometers south of Amman, the capital of Jordan, in protest against the frequent increase in fuel prices by the Jordanian authorities, and gradually spread to other cities. In the continuation of these riots, the “Arabi 21” news site wrote that the speed of strikes and protests carried out by the transport and shipping sector in Jordan is increasing; And even despite the government’s efforts to end the strike by increasing transportation rates and providing financial support to this sector in the public budget, no change has been achieved.
Last week, the media continued to report that in addition to the crippling strikes in the transportation sector, some commercial areas and stores were closed; Other areas in this country saw road closures with burnt tires. Jordanians have considered the increase in diesel and oil prices as a cause of damage to the transportation and shipping sector and have described it as a way to empty the pockets of the poor in this country. “Amoun” newspaper described this situation as a manifestation of the 2018 protests in Jordan, which is being repeated again.
The strikes first led to the formation of small protest groups in some cities; So that some protestors showed their protest by sitting in front of mosques, including the main mosque of the city of “Ma’an” and another mosque in the Jordanian capital, after the prayer. But the situation did not progress in the same way, and the media activities of the protesters in spreading the protests on the one hand and the harsh reactions of the government on the other hand, soon brought the protests to the streets.
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Economic problems emerged as the main concerns of the people, and the people at the bottom of the society also came to the scene. Protesters blocked several highways connecting Amman to other major cities. Although the streets of Jordan were calm in the first days, the scattered demonstrations in some parts of the country expanded into organized protests; According to Arab media, including “Al Jazeera”, street protests were accompanied by fire and riots, and brought the security forces to the field.
Abdullah II’s attempt to silence the protests
The transformation of limited protests into widespread riots forced King Abdullah II, the king of Jordan, to appear in a military uniform on the way back from an Arab meeting with Chinese officials in Riyadh. He and his companions threatened the rioters by being at the house of the officer killed in the protests and called security their red line. While expressing his sympathy to the family of the killed senior police officer, he emphasizes: We will not tolerate violence against our security forces who work day and night to protect Jordan and Jordanians.
His meeting with the family of the Jordanian security martyr increased the government’s support for the government and added to the anger of the protesters. Because the mother of the slain officer said in her conversation with Abdullah II that this son is the fourth martyr that I have presented to Jordan from my family. The king of Jordan has also become more determined and says that anyone who takes up arms against the government and encroaches on public property will be dealt with decisively. We do not tolerate insults and attacks on our security forces.
Even now, riots have continued in Jordan and media sources reported that the provinces of “Al-Kirk”, “Irbid” and “Al-Zarqa” were the scene of protests last night. “Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed” newspaper, the security forces of Jordan used tear gas last night to prevent the demonstrations of some residents of “Al-Tafaila” neighborhood in the center of the capital and did not allow the expansion of this space to other areas. Reactions and criticisms of the performance of the Jordanian government and the activities of the Jordanian security forces continue in the virtual space with the hashtag #Jordan.