TUNIS: Police in Gabes, Tunisia have arrested dozens of people in demonstrations against a chemical factory which locals blame for pollution and a range of health issues, a local campaign group and a lawyer said Saturday.
Thousands have rallied in the southern coastal city in recent days calling for the closure of a phosphate processing plant, which they say is behind a rise in gas poisonings and other pollution-related health problems.
“The arrests targeted night protesters,” said Mehdi Talmoudi, a lawyer and member of the local branch of the Tunisian Bar Association.
“While daytime demonstrations have been largely peaceful, those at night have seen occasional clashes with security forces and burning tires,” he told AFP.
Talmoudi said the exact number of arrests was not known.
