A demonstration protesting price hikes in the Jordanian city of As-Salt, west of Amman, descended into a riot as protesters burned tyres and clashed with security forces over the weekend.
Witnesses from the city said the march, which rejected tax increases and subsidies cuts, began peacefully before protesters barricaded roads in the city centre.
Demonstrators called for the otherthrow of Prime Minister Hani al-Mulqi’s government, and for parliament to be dissolved, while they urged King Abdullah to intervene and abolish the recently imposed increased taxes on goods.
Security forces attempted to disperse the demonstrators while civil and tribal leaders attempted to calm the situation, with protests now ongoing for four days. The demonstrations gained momentum after the king visited the city to meet with political and military figures at the home of former intelligence chief Nazir Rashid.
“The protests are a message to the government to reverse the decision to raise prices and increase taxes, leading to restrictions on citizens,” said MP Moataz Abu Ruman.
Abu Ruman told The New Arab that the government’s approach could lead to increased demonstrations.
The protests followed government policies which increased the tax on more than 150 commodities and lifting government subsidies on bread, the price of which has increased by as much as 60 percent. The move, which is part of a drive to tackle the country’s budget woes, is the first of its kind in more than two decades.
The price of fuel and electricity has also been raised, which Abu Ruman described as a “government provocation of citizens”. The economic policies are part of a major package of IMF-guided tax rises aimed at gradually lowering record public debt.
The last time Jordan significantly raised bread prices, in 1996, protests broke out across the country against the move. The increase was ushered in by requirements for new credit also set by the International Monetary Fund.
“” Let them eat cake” is a well worn saying, yet it was never said. The saying is French, nd doesn’t mention “cake’ it mentions “brioche , a kind of enriched bread. Thik bout it, they have no bread so let them eat enriched bread…..?? Does that sound sane or even possible that someone could actually say it….? No, not to my way of thinking.
Just another one of those made up bits of rubbish either to get publicity or denigrate
a person….at that time, Marie Antoinette…who never said it.
Like the swap of insults between George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill, both of whom, independently of one another denied ever saying what was attributed to them..
But of course it was topical, and humourous, so got publicity.
Let them eat cake
I don’t know why the rioters didn’t include the king in their protests, because they must know that no raises or increases in staple foods would take place without his go ahead orders.
Perhaps he moves only surrounded with killer bodyguards….