Tunisians revive protests in Gabes over pollution from state chemical plant

Around 2,500 Tunisians marched through the coastal city of Gabes on Wednesday, reviving protests over pollution from a state-owned phosphate complex amid rising anger over perceived failures to protect public health.



People chanted mainly "Gabes wants to live", on the 15th anniversary of the start of the 2011 pro-democracy uprising that sparked the Arab Spring movement against autocracy. The protest added to the pressure on President Kais Saied’s government, which is grappling with a deep financial crisis and growing street unrest, protests by doctors, journalists, banks and public transport systems.



The powerful UGTT union has called for a nationwide strike next month, signalling great tension in the country. The recent protests are widely seen as one of the biggest challenges facing Saied since he began ruling by decree in 2021.



Protesters chanted slogans such as "We want to live" and "People want to dismantle polluting units", as they marched toward Chatt Essalam, a coastal suburb north of the city where the Chemical Group’s industrial units are located.