Clashes continue between police and protesters in Tunis

Clashes continue between police and protesters Tunis – Nabil Zaghdoud Clashes continued between security forces and demonstrators in the Tunisian capital. Demonstrations launched to commemorate Martyrs Day,  took to the major squares  on Monday April 9  after having been dispersed by force from Habib Bourguiba Street. Clashes caused businesses in the street to shut up shop.
Human rights organisations reported that there were injuries among the demonstratorsin addition to attacks against a number of human rights activists and journalists, the most prominent of them being Gohar Bin Muabarak, the head of “Dostoorona” ("Our Constitution") network, who was detained after his arm had been broken.
Security forces used tear gas bombs, electric sticks, and batons,  to dispel the demonstrators,  which caused several injuries and cases of suffocation among the protesters, who threw rocks at police and chanted:  “No fear, no panic, authority is in the hands of the people."
The suppression caused a number of National Constituent Assembly members who were were in the demonstrations,  to rush to police vehicles and free several young people who were arrested inside.
Ibrahim Kassas, the National Constituent Assembly member said: “Security forces did not respect the peoples' representatives who participated in this demonstration and they assaulted them. We witnessed that the march was peaceful.”
He added: “There is no justification for this excessive force against protesters, as after the revolution, Tunisians have become free to express their opinion and no-one whosoever may prevent them from this.”
The lawyer and human rights activist Radhia Nasraoui told Arabstoday: “Nothing has changed… Security forces use the same brutal and fascist ways that were used by Ben Ali's regime to deprive us of our rights… There are a large number of injured due to being attacked by police, who used electric sticks, batons and gas grenades to disperse them.”
She lay the responsibility on the ministry of interior and the ruling Ennahda Movement. She said that the movement decided "in a suppressive manner that Habib Bourguiba Street should be free from demonstrations and this is unacceptable.”
She continued: “No one may prevent us from demonstrating in the place we choose, especially in Habib Bourguiba Street which has an historic symbolism,” pointing out that “tens of thousands gathered in this street on January 14, 2011 calling for the overthrow of Ben Ali and his repressive regime.”
In a related context, the head of the Syrian journalists' syndicate said that there were several assaults with some colleagues requiring hospital treatment.  She added: “We called for an emergency meeting and I hope there will be a positive interaction with officials.  There should be a unified front against the suppression of freedom and attacking journalists.”
In the first official reaction to the events, Tunisian Interior Minister Ali al-Aridi said in a press statement that he is working on “satisfying all the political groups.”
Speaking to the Shams FM station he said: “protesters do not respect laws or time given to them.” He explained: “We have received several complaints as a result of the demonstrations that took place in Habib Bourguiba Street.  Public services have stopped, and the overcrowding in the capital has become unbearable. This hurts the national economy. I call  for the media to be of more patriotic.”
The spokesman for the ministry of interior,  Khaled Tarous told state radio: “We will not allow the spread of chaos. People may demonstrate elsewhere than Habib Bourguiba Street.”
Several political parties accused the Ennahda Movement of recruiting militias to break up the demonstrations. In this context, the head of the Socialist Left Party Mohamed Kilani said “There are militias belonging to the Ennahda Movement wielding batons and beating up demonstrators.” He added that security forces broke into his party’s headquarters in Habib Bourguiba Street and assaulted a number of the party’s members causing them serious physical injuries.
Ajami Alorimi, member of the executive bureau of Ennahda Movement, denied the accusations against his movement.  He told the Tunisian official news agency: “There was no participation by the Movement to prevent demonstrators from passing through Habib Bourguiba Street,” adding  “all members of the Movement who headed to Martyrs Square did so  to commemorate the April 9 occasion.”