Jordan protesters insist on 'genuine' reforms

More than 3,000 Jordanian demonstrators, mostly opposition Islamists, took to the streets of central Amman on Friday, demanding "genuine" regime reforms and condemning attacks against the media. "The people want to reform the regime. Millions of dinars are stolen while people are starving," chanted the protesters as they held a large national flag and marched from Al-Husseini mosque to nearby city hall. Hamzah Mansur, chief of the powerful Islamic Action Front (IAF), which organised the demonstration, demanded "genuine" reforms. "So far none of our demands have been met. We want genuine political and economic reforms. The people insist on reforming the regime," Mansur told the demonstrators, who handed out water bottles to police. The protesters also condemned corruption, "the interference of security services in our affairs" and attacks against journalists. "We salute and respect journalists," they chanted, carrying banners that read, "we reject restrictions on press freedom. Attacking journalists seek to hide the truth." On July 15, police broke up clashes between pro-reform demonstrators and government supporters in Amman, beating and injuring nine journalists wearing orange vests marked "Press." And on June 15, 10 men broke into AFP's offices in Amman, destroying windows, furniture and equipment. The assaults have been denounced by MPs, journalists, activists and the government, which vowed to protect the media. Since January, Jordan has faced a protest movement demanding political and economic reforms and an end to corruption.