[NEWS] Thousands protest in Tunisia as calls grow for president to resign

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Supporters of the influential UGTT labour union rally in Tunis in defiance of crackdown by Kais Saied against critics

Thousands of people gathered in Tunisia’s capital on Saturday for a rally organised by the country's most powerful labour union, to demonstrate against the government under President Kais Saied. The protest called by the UGTT ― one of the largest since Mr Saied dismissed the previous government and suspended parliament in July 2021 ― comes after a spate of arrests of the president's political opponents in recent weeks.

Starting at the Mohamed Ali Hammi plaza, which is dedicated to one of the founders of the Tunisian labour movement before independence, thousands marched along the capital’s main Habib Bourguiba avenue shouting, “Freedom, the police state is over”, “Saied, your time is over” and “IMF government, the people are invincible”. Noureddine Tabboubi, the head of the Tunisian General Labour Union told the crowd before the march that "no matter how costly it is, we will not fear prisons and assassinations and we will always stand on the side of equality and justice”. “I salute all the activists and politicians in Mornaguia prison,” Mr Tabboubi said, referring to the recent arrests. Most of those arrested have been accused of "conspiracy against state security". Mr Tabboubi said the UGTT would not remain silent in the face of a systematic targeting of rights and freedoms in the country. “Tunisia will not be a land of tyranny and oppression,” he said.

Link: https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/tunisia/2023/03/04/thousands-protest-in-tunisia-as-calls-grow-for-president-to-resign/