GABES, Tunisia (AP) — Police rained tear fuel on crowds and a number of other demonstrators and riot police have been injured within the southern Tunisian metropolis of Gabes as 1000’s of individuals marched Wednesday to protest worsening air air pollution from a phosphate-processing plant.
The protest descended into clashes with police who tried to disperse protesters making an attempt to achieve the plant in an industrial advanced, which is a delegated army zone. Gabes, house to greater than 400,000 residents, lies on the coronary heart of Tunisia’s phosphate trade, one of many key sources of export income for the North African nation.
Wednesday’s protests have been the most recent since a fuel leak close to the state-owned Chemical Group of Tunisia industrial advanced. The leak despatched dozens of residents, together with kids, to hospitals in latest weeks, in accordance with environmental activist group “Cease Air pollution.”
The leak reignited long-standing anger within the coastal metropolis, the place residents blame greater than 5 a long time of business exercise for rising most cancers charges, respiratory sicknesses and the collapse of the area’s once-thriving and distinctive ecosystem.
By dusk Wednesday, plumes of tear fuel, burning tires and trash bins crammed the streets as protesters blocked main roads and chanted towards what they referred to as “environmental crimes.” Many demanded the dissolution of the GCT and closure of its phosphate items, which they accused of slowly poisoning Gabes.
The town’s chemical advanced processes uncooked phosphate into fertilizer, an operation that for many years has discharged poisonous waste straight into the Gulf of Gabes. Environmental teams say the air pollution has worn out marine life, turned the waters darkish and compelled generations of fishermen out of labor.
Successive Tunisian governments have promised to relocate or modernize the plant, however environmental activists say these pledges have repeatedly gone unfulfilled.
Tunisia’s Nationwide Observatory for Agriculture has repeatedly warned air high quality in elements of Gabes exceeds limits set by the World Well being Group. Environmental consultants repeatedly famous the persistent excessive ranges of sulfur dioxide and ammonia within the ambiance, pollution recognized to trigger respiratory injury and contribute to acid rain.
“Our whole lives have been ruined by the smells and smoke we inhale on daily basis,” mentioned 30-year-old Hanen, who declined to offer her final title out of concern of retribution.
On the sidelines of Wednesday’s protest, she informed The Related Press that tensions escalated in latest weeks after the brand new fuel leak despatched a wave of panic by the neighborhood.
“They refused to inform us what was responsible for individuals to get sick, even kids have been hospitalized, and a few developed paralysis,” she mentioned. “They disregarded our worries and referred to as us liars, and that drove individuals offended … We would like this advanced dismantled, and we won’t cease till it occurs.”
The GCT acknowledged “main non-conformities” in its operations in a July 2025 environmental audit, citing extreme ammonia and different emissions that fall in need of international environmental requirements. Regardless of the admission by the corporate, the federal government and even Tunisian President Kais Saied, residents say no seen motion has adopted.
Saied mentioned in an announcement earlier this week that he ordered the formation of an pressing joint fee to fulfill protesters’ calls for.
“Severe failures have been present in upkeep and testing that led to fuel leaks. There might be no tolerance for many who uncared for their duties,” Saied mentioned. “The individuals of Gabes will obtain their full rights.”
