AMMAN, 1 January 2005 — Jordanian police yesterday banned relatives of US servicemen killed in Iraq and members of anti-war groups from holding a candlelit vigil outside UN headquarters, an AFP correspondent reported.
A police officer at the scene in western Amman told reporters the protest was banned because the activists failed to get a permit from the authorities three days ago in line with the law and urged everyone to leave the area.
“The police banned us and asked us to leave for security reasons,” said Medea Benjamin, the founding director of human rights group Global Exchange which is opposed to the US-led war in Iraq.
“We are all very upset because we had done similar protests all over the world. We’re very shocked,” she said.
As the protesters walked away they sang a refrain from one of John Lennon’s classic songs” “All we are saying, is give peace a chance.”
