This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011 [1].
Tunisia's netizens and activist community were shocked on April 9, 2012, by the police response to a planned protest to mark Martyrs’ Day [2]. It came a day after a smaller protest by jobless young people was attacked by the police [3].
The protesters planned to challenge the ban on protesting on Habib Bourguiba Avenue [4] by starting their demonstration on Mohamed V Avenue. Police responded by using tear gas, batons and electric batons [5] to disperse them. Some members of the National Constituent Assembly, journalists, bloggers, lawyers and activists were harshly beaten. Netizens expressed their anger, shock and sense of déja-vu.
Global Voices author Afef Abrougui [8] tweeted:
Twitter user Tunisienne Libre (@Fleursdecactus) tweeted that the aggression spread to other streets:
@Fleursdecactus [12]: C'est le chaos à Jean Jaures, av. de Paris, rue de Marseille… Poursuites, agressions, lacrymo.
Slim Amamou [13], prominent blogger and founder of the Tunisian Pirate Party [14], described the situation:
@slim404 [15]: #9avril Le nombre de bras fracturés est anormal. Il y a qlq chose qui a changé dans l'équipement ou les méthodes de la police
Fatma Riahi [16], alias Fatma Arabicca, a prominent blogger and the co-founder of the Association of Tunisian Bloggers, was beaten by riot police and hospitalized. In this video [ar] she explained what happened:
Afef Abrougui criticized the government's justification for banning protests on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, which was to protect businesses and attract tourists:
@AfefTN [17]: protesters, MPs, journalists, activists & paramedics were assaulted 2day in #Tunis | a good way to attract tourists u gov of fools #9avril
Blogger Keyser Söze wrote a post entitled “Pandora's Box” [18]:
Le 9 avril 2012 restera un jour triste dans la mémoire de tout tunisien. Il portera à jamais la marque de l’ingratitude des autocrates en poste envers le peuple qui les a libérés.
He added:
Toute la panoplie de la répression de l’aire dictatoriale a été employée pour casser du Tunisien. Ils ont même eu recours à l’aide de milices inconnues comme à la belle époque.
The following YouTube video by TunisiaTalks shows police chasing protesters and their brutality towards them.
Mustapha Ben Jafar [19], the President of the National Constituent Assembly asked the government [20] [fr] to begin an investigation to find out who was responsible. On television the president Moncef Marzouki [21] apologised for the high level of violence employed against protestors.
This post is part of our special coverage Tunisia Revolution 2011 [1].