Tunesien

[Schneemann]

Tunisia shaken by 'Islamist protests'

The Tunisian government has condemned a series of attacks on police stations, a court and an art gallery. Government officials said ultra-conservative Salafist Muslims and criminals were behind the violence, much of which took place overnight. But the Salafists denied being involved in the rampage, which took place in several areas of the capital Tunis and in the country's north-west.

At least 90 people were arrested in the violence, and seven policemen hurt. In one northern suburb, La Marsa, rioters tried to force their way into an art gallery where several paintings deemed "blasphemous" had been slashed a day earlier by Islamists. [...]

He said some of the violence, which came hours after al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri urged Tunisians to turn against the government, may have been inspired by the group. The Salafist movement called on Tunisians to protest against "infringements against Islam" but said it had nothing to do with the violence.

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Schneemann.