The gathering, calling itself “March 24 Youth,” marks a departure from the style of demonstrations which Jordanians used to stage after Friday prayers over the past two months.

Participants said they had no affiliations with political groupings and that they share the common goal of putting pressure on the government to adopt speedy reforms. They also planned to stay near Amman’s Gamal Abdel Nasser Square until their demands were met.

They raised placards that read “The people want a lower house that really represents the people,” “The people want to amend the constitution” and “The people want to see symbols of corruption punished.”

The youth went ahead with their plan despite remarks by King Abdullah on Wednesday appearing to rebuke Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit for the delay in coming up with promised political reforms.

“As of today, I will not accept any excuse for delaying the process of political and economic reforms,” the monarch said in a rare letter to Bakhit.

He urged the prime minister to take “speedy and decisive steps” to facilitate the adoption of key reforms, including the eradication of corruption and the enactment of ensuring the election of a Parliament that “truly represents the people.”

Bakhit has set up a 53-member National Dialogue Committee with the aim of arriving at a reconciliatory election law and a political parties law.

But the move hit an early snag when the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front, refused to attend the panel’s meetings, citing Bakhit’s failure to include constitutional amendments on the agenda.

Conservatives and other opposition figures said they wanted reforms including turning the country into a constitutional monarchy by limiting the king’s powers, particularly in the appointment of prime ministers and Cabinet ministers.