UPDATES WITH GAFSA PROTEST, ARREST OF 3 ACTIVISTS
By Eman Ghali, Seifeddin Majdoub and Al-Hadi al-Radawi
TUNIS (AA) - Dozens of Tunisians demonstrated on Friday outside the government’s provincial headquarters in Tunis to demand the annulment of controversial legislation.
Protesters demanded the revocation of a recently approved financial law, vowing to hold a “national march” on Jan. 14 -- the seven-year anniversary of Tunisia’s revolution -- if their demands were not met.
Addressing protesters, campaign coordinator Wael Nawar vowed to organize a mass sit-in outside the parliament building in Tunis if the unpopular law was not swiftly revoked.
According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent covering Friday’s demonstration, several protesters tried to breach a security barrier set up outside the provincial HQ but were prevented from doing so by police.
"The people want the budget reduced!” protesters shouted, describing Tunisia’s current cabinet as a “starvation government”.
According to activist Nawar, similar protests were being organized in several other parts of the country, including Tunisia’s protest-prone Kasserine and Sidi Bouzid provinces.
In the southwestern city of Gafsa, meanwhile, dozens of supporters of the Popular Front (a parliamentary coalition that holds 15 of the assembly’s 217 seats) demonstrated against the arrest of three leftist opposition activists.
"All three are innocent of the malicious accusations against them," defense lawyer Hussein at-Tabasi said, calling for the trio’s immediate release.
Earlier Friday, police in Gafsa detained Habib at-Tabasi, Jamal Shaeshae and Talal at-Tabasi -- all of whom are linked to the Popular Front -- for questioning.
Since Monday, Tunisia has been rocked by a wave of popular protest against a raft of unpopular government austerity measures.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 700 people have so far been detained for clashing with police and inciting “riots”.