THOUSANDS OF JORDANIANS ATTEND PEACEFUL ANTI-WAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000745

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM JO
SUBJECT: THOUSANDS OF JORDANIANS ATTEND PEACEFUL ANTI-WAR
DEMONSTRATION

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM. REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D).


1. (SBU) On February 1, several thousand demonstrators
participated in a short anti-war march through the Shmeisani
district of Amman. The demonstration, organized by the
Opposition Parties Higher Coordination Committee, was
approved by the government and proceeded amidst a large and
visible police presence. Press estimates of crowd size range
from 3,000 to 10,000 (with embassy contacts reporting 3,000
to be the more accurate estimate). The demonstration was the
largest since May 2002. There were no reports of arrests or
violence.


2. (SBU) The demonstrators hoisted pictures of King
Abdullah, Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein, chanted anti-war
slogans and listened to anti-Israeli and anti-US speeches.
Various media reports showed placards of Saddam Hussein
hoisting an AK-47 or puffing on a large cigar, alongside
signs which read "no to attacking Iraq." Islamic Action
Front Secretary General Hamzeh Mansour addressed the crowd,
engaging in explicitly anti-American rhetoric: "Our message
to the American administration and the Zionist enemy is that
your war will not only be with Palestine and Iraq, but the
entire (Arab) nation."


3. (C) COMMENT. The march and rally were fully
choreographed in advance between the GOJ and the rally
sponsors. While the rhetoric was sometimes heated (including
calls for Iraq to strike Tel Aviv),the protest remained
orderly and peaceful, and provided an opportunity for
opponents of war to vent some steam. While permitting some
expressions of public dissatisfaction, the GOJ will likely
continue to restrict permits for protests and carefully
regulate those it does allow to go forward.
GNEHM