Demonstrators are hit by a water cannon during a protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied's seizure of governing powers, in Tunis, Tunisia, January 14, 2022. REUTERS/
Tunisian police sprayed water cannons into crowds and beat back protesters with batons as they dispersed more than 1,000 demonstrators trying to reach central tunis on Friday, while journalists covering the protests against the president complained of police violence and abuse.
A heavy police presence prevented many protesters who were demonstrating against President Kais Saied from gathering in Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main street in central tunis that is the traditional focal point for protests, including during the 2011 revolution that brought down former President Ben Ali Zine El Abidine and ushered in a period of democratic transition.
On Jan. 14th, the 12th anniversary of the date of Ben Ali's exile and formerly a national holiday in tunisia, police dispersed several different groups of protesters, at least one of which had hundreds of demonstrators, Reuters witnesses said, kicking and pushing them to force them back. Reuters images shows police firing water cannons at people sitting down in the street.
The Interior Ministry said 1,200 people had protested and said its forces had exercised restraint.
"Today Saied's only response to opponents is with force and the security forces... it is so sad to see tunisia like an army barracks on the date of our revolution," said opposition activist Chayma Issa, referring to the large presence of security forces.
Opposition parties are protesting against President Saied's suspension of parliament last year, and his assumption of executive power and moves to rewrite the constitution, which they call a coup.
"Preventing free tunisians from protesting on the revolution anniversary is shameful... and is an attack on freedoms and represents a big decline under the coup authorities," said Imed Khemiri, an Ennahda member of the suspended parliament.
