Road closures possible as pro-Palestinian protesters throng streets

AMMAN — As pro-Palestine rallies persist, there will be road closures in areas crowded with protesters to ensure increased security, Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Al Sartawi said on Wednesday.

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Sartawi stated that “there is no specific plan for where road closures would be enforced on Wednesday or Thursday… this depends on where demonstrations will be taking place”.

He noted that security enforcements will be deployed as appropriate.

The pro-Palestine demonstrations taking place in several areas in Amman, forced road closures near Israeli and American embassies in Amman on Tuesday. Massive traffic jams were witnessed in Amman’s downtown area, and across other governorates.

Maria Saed, a Jordanian based in Amman, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday that “all roads leading to the American embassy in the Abdoun area were blocked today… massive traffic jams and just long queues of cars were witnessed”.

Relatedly, Beesan Amer, a Jordanian who resides in Amman’s Shmeisani neighbourhood, told The Jordan Times: “I was stuck in traffic for over two hours on Tuesday… so on Wednesday I did not go out.”