Tunisians defy lockdown, crowd streets against police abuse
Tunisians have taken to the streets of the capital, in defiance of a police lockdown, to protest against abuse and brutality exercised by the law enforcement officers.
Demonstrates gathered in central Tunis on Saturday in the biggest crowd in years.
“I lived 10 years in freedom... I am not ready to lose it.”
That was one of the slogans the crowd chanted in reference to an uprising that led to the ouster of long-time ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
“No fear. The street belongs to the people.”
The demonstration on Saturday was backed by the country’s most powerful political organization: the UGTT union.
Samir Cheffi, a senior official with the union, said, “Today is a cry of alarm to defend the revolution, to protect freedoms under threat.”
Riot police deployed cordons around the city center, stopping cars and people from entering the streets around the site of the protest.
Mohammed Ammar, a member of parliament for the Attayar party, said he had protested the closure of the streets in a phone call to Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi.
Tunisia has been the site of street protests since last month, when demonstrations to mark the tenth anniversary of the revolution led to clashes between people and police.
The working-class make up the main group of protesters who have been nursing a grievance against soaring unemployment and the government’s failure in delivering its promises a decade into the revolution.
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