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Jordan protest due despite king's early election call Jordan protests begin despite king's election call
(about 4 hours later)
Thousands of people in Jordan are expected to take part in what is being billed as the country's biggest protest since the start of the Arab Spring. Thousands of people have begun gathering in Jordan's capital Amman amid a large police presence to call for faster political reforms.
The Muslim Brotherhood's political wing, the Islamic Action Front, wants the constitution changed and will lead a demonstration after Friday prayers. Demonstrations were called by the Islamic Action Front, the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing in Jordan.
On Thursday, King Abdullah dissolved parliament and called early elections, though he did not specify a date. They are calling for changes to Jordan's constitution.
On Thursday, Jordan's head of state King Abdullah dissolved parliament and called early elections, though he did not specify a date.
He is facing calls to tackle corruption and introduce wide-ranging reforms.He is facing calls to tackle corruption and introduce wide-ranging reforms.
The Islamic Action Front has said it will boycott the elections unless Jordan's political system is overhauled so that the prime minister is elected, rather than appointed by the king. The Islamic Action Front has said it will boycott the elections unless Jordan's political system is overhauled so that the prime minister is elected rather than appointed by the king.
The group has said King Abdullah's attempts to introduce reform until now have not been meaningful. 'Good natured'
The Muslim Brotherhood has said it expects 50,000 people to take part in Friday afternoon's protest.
The BBC's Wyre Davies in Amman said that about 2,000 to 3,000 people had so far gathered, and that the protest was "relatively good-natured".
Pictures published on social media sites showed protesters chanting slogans and waving Jordanian flags.
Thousands of police have lined the streets to oversee marches into the city centre, though there have so far been no reports of unrest.
A counter-rally, in support of King Abdullah, which organisers had predicted would attract 200,000 supporters, was cancelled late on Thursday in order to prevent clashes between the two groups.
Al-Nakheel Square in the Ras al-Ain district has been cordoned off and non-Jordanian nationals have been barred from taking part in the protest, the English-language Jordan Times reported.
The Islamic Action Front, which is Jordan's main opposition group, has said King Abdullah's attempts to introduce reform until now have not been meaningful.
"In particular we demand certain amendments to the constitution which lead to the formation of a parliamentary government," Zaki Bani Arshid, the head of the Brotherhood's political bureau in Amman told the BBC."In particular we demand certain amendments to the constitution which lead to the formation of a parliamentary government," Zaki Bani Arshid, the head of the Brotherhood's political bureau in Amman told the BBC.
King Abdullah said recently that a prime minister would be elected once a new parliament was established.King Abdullah said recently that a prime minister would be elected once a new parliament was established.
He has dissolved parliaments and sacked prime ministers before in order to show that he is responsive to public dissatisfaction.He has dissolved parliaments and sacked prime ministers before in order to show that he is responsive to public dissatisfaction.
Security
Jordan has avoided the unrest and political upheaval that rocked much of the Arab world last year.Jordan has avoided the unrest and political upheaval that rocked much of the Arab world last year.
Although protests have taken place in the country since January 2011, they have been relatively small and have not gained the same level of political momentum as those in Egypt or Libya.Although protests have taken place in the country since January 2011, they have been relatively small and have not gained the same level of political momentum as those in Egypt or Libya.
The Muslim Brotherhood has said it expects 50,000 people to take part in Friday afternoon's protest.
BBC Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher says that while King Abdullah has presented himself as a unifying force in Jordan, the Muslim Brotherhood's powerful opposition party, the IAF, has been emboldened by the recent success of Islamist parties in Egypt and Tunisia.BBC Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher says that while King Abdullah has presented himself as a unifying force in Jordan, the Muslim Brotherhood's powerful opposition party, the IAF, has been emboldened by the recent success of Islamist parties in Egypt and Tunisia.
A counter-rally, in support of King Abdullah, which organisers had predicted would attract 200,000 supporters, was cancelled late on Thursday in order to prevent clashes between the two groups. Are you in Jordan? Will you be taking part in protests? Get in touch using the form below
Security patrols have been stationed in parts of Amman where the protests are expected to take place.
Al-Nakheel Square in the Ras al-Ain district has been cordoned off and non-Jordanian nationals have been barred from taking part in the protest, the English-language Jordan Times reported.