AMMAN — Jordan has imposed a temporary ban on popular social media platform TikTok amid violent protests over fuel price hikes.

In a statement, the Public Security Directorate said the widely used but controversial platform was suspended as it was used “for glorifying hate speech and for inciting chaos, attacking law enforcement agencies, and property and blocking roads.”

"The authorities will refer anyone who commits such crimes to justice," it warned.

The statement said that the TikTok platform was misused by users “to promote videos falsifying current events.”

Tension has been running high in Jordan amid a strike staged by truck drivers since Dec. 5 to protest soaring fuel prices and living conditions.

On Thursday, a Jordanian police officer was shot dead during protests in the southern town of Al-Husseiniya.

Jordan currently ranks fourth among Arab countries in terms of fuel prices, after Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. — Agencies