Tunisia Protests: Thousands Demonstrate Against President Kais Saied (video)

Tunisia has witnessed a wave of protests against President Kais Saied, with the demonstrations reaching a climax on April 15, 2025. Reports indicate that clashes broke out between security forces and thousands of protesters in the capital city of Tunis.

Background of the Protests

لليوم الثاني #تونس تنتفض وتطالب باسقاط قيس سعيد.
خرق إطارات ورفع شعارات ضد النظام.
جناح عسكري آخر في تونس يتحرك لتصحيح مسار البلاد.#تونس pic.twitter.com/V61zfjsu1h — WardaNews (@warda_news1) April 15, 2025

The protests began on April 9, 2025, with hundreds of Tunisians taking to the streets to demonstrate against President Saied. According to media reports, the protesters demanded the release of political prisoners and condemned what they considered an authoritarian regime. On the same day, six political prisoners, including Abdelhamid Jlassi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, Khiyam Turki, Reda Belhaj, Issam Chebbi, and Ghazi Chaouachi, began a hunger strike in prison, adding further pressure on the authorities.

Escalation of Protests

On April 10, 2025, widespread protests were reported across the country, with similar demands, indicating a continuation of the protest movement. According to a post on the X platform, "massive protests erupted across the country, with citizens taking to the streets demanding the resignation of President Kais Saied."

April 15 Protests

On April 15, 2025, the protests reached a peak, with reports of clashes between security forces and thousands of protesters in Tunis. According to a post on the X platform by user @Tarek_Alkhelifi, "Breaking: Tunisia, April 15, 2025, clashes between security forces and thousands of Tunisians demanding the overthrow of the regime and the departure of Kais Saied." This indicates that the protests were widespread and included clear demands for the overthrow of the regime and the departure of President Saied.

Specific Details

• Burning tires and raising slogans against the regime: While specific details about "burning tires" are not mentioned in the available reports, the protests did involve raising slogans against the regime, such as "The people want to overthrow the regime" and "Departure of Kais Saied," which aligns with the user's description.
• Another military wing moving to correct the country's course: No information confirms the existence of "another military wing" moving to correct the country's course, making this point uncertain based on the current information.

Analysis and Implications

These protests indicate a clear escalation of popular opposition to President Kais Saied, who assumed wide-ranging powers in 2021 after dissolving parliament and ruling by decree, which opponents consider a coup. The protests appear to be part of a broader movement aimed at restoring democracy and releasing political prisoners. The hunger strike by the prisoners has added further pressure on the authorities, intensifying the protests.

Table: Summary of Key Events

Date Event Details
April 9, 2025 Protests in Tunis Hundreds of protesters demand the release of political prisoners and condemn the authoritarian regime. Hunger strike begins.
April 10, 2025 Widespread protests across the country Reports of large protests, with similar demands.
April 15, 2025 Clashes between security forces and thousands of protesters Slogans demand the overthrow of the regime and the departure of Kais Saied. No specific details about "burning tires" are mentioned.

Conclusion

The protests in Tunisia against President Kais Saied are ongoing, with the demonstrations reaching a peak on April 15, 2025, with clashes between protesters and security forces. Reports indicate that these protests are part of a broader wave of opposition to Saied's policies, including the arrest of opponents and accusations of authoritarianism. No specific details about "another military wing" are mentioned, making this point uncertain.