Live streams

Tunisia Braces for Protests Over French Cartoons

Outside view of the French embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, September 19, 2012.

TEXT SIZE - +

September 20, 2012

TUNIS, TUNISIA — A week after Muslims worldwide vented their anger at an anti-Islam film made in the United States, authorities in Tunisia are bracing for more unrest this Friday - this time because of French cartoons making fun of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

Right now it's a typical weekday afternoon in downtown Tunis. The main Habib Bourguiba Avenue is choked with traffic and pedestrians. One thing that is different, however, are the barbed wire and police flanking France's elegant embassy.

The extra security comes ahead of Friday prayers - and a day after a French magazine published cartoons mocking the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

Tunisian authorities clearly don't want a repeat of last Friday, when violent demonstrations by Salafists outside the U.S. embassy here killed four Tunisians and injured dozens of others.

Anti-U.S. Protests Timeline:

September 11: Protesters attack U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt and U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americas are killed
September 12: Anti-U.S. protests spread to several Arab countries.
September 13: Protesters storm U.S. embassy compound in Sana'a, Yemen
September 14: Protests spread further across Africa, Asia and the Middle East
September 15: US orders non-essential personnel and families of diplomats out of Tunisia and Sudan
September 16: A protester dies during a clash with police in Pakistan
September 17: A protester dies during a clash with police in Pakistan

Pausing before the French embassy, Tunisian businessman Hamdi Ashouri criticizes the violence.

But Ashouri said that Muslims respect other religions and they would never mock them. He said he will join any peaceful protests against the French cartoons on Friday.

Like Ashouri, bank employee Jihen Saber is worried about more violence to come. She said there's no security in Tunisia, that it is still recovering from its 2011 revolution. That makes her scared.

Last week's protests against the video, made by a private filmmaker in the U.S., were echoed across the Arab world. They are particularly striking in this North African country, though, where the regime of former president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali jailed Islamists.

Today, Tunisia's ruling Islamist Ennahda party is trying to calm the situation - criticizing both the movie and the protesters.

Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi said he was shocked at the violence of last week's demonstrators who destroyed American embassy cars, set fire to an American school and attacked businesses. He said protesters have the right to express their views, but must do so peacefully.

About 30,000 French nationals live in Tunisia. Ahead of Friday prayers, France has announced it will close its embassies and schools in some 20 countries, including Tunisia.

You May Like

In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, military boots are laid in tribute outside the Woolwich Barracks, in London, in response to the bloody attack on Wednesday when a British soldier was killed in the nearby street.

MI5 Wanted Woolwich Murder Suspect 'to Work as an Informant'

British police arrest a man on suspicion of terrorism who was reportedly a friend of one of two Woolwich attack suspects More

US Secretary of State John Kerry (foreground) speaks at a joint news conference with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom in Addis Ababa May 25, 2013.

Kerry Calls on Nigeria to Stop Human Rights Abuses

After meeting with Nigerian president, US top diplomat welcomes Abuja’s efforts to investigate, reign in excesses by troops fighting Boko Haram militants More

Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak are seen working together in this undated photo.

Vintage Apple Computer Sells for $671,400

Auctioneer says buyer is from 'Far East' and wishes to remain anonymous More

FILE- Unmanned Predator B drone, taken November 8, 2011.

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Day earlier US President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives More

Authorities are taking samples of live poultry from mainland China to test for the H7N9 virus, April 11, 2013.

Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu

Study suggest that international measures to contain the H7N9 influenza, in the event of severe outbreak, will need to be targeted in Asia More

Anti government protesters burn tires and place rocks in the streets in Conakry, Guinea, May 3, 2013

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Opposition has called for boycott of elections More

Syria's Civil War Fuels Violence in Iraq

Analysts say al-Qaida-linked militants are flowing back and forth from both countries More

Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

A view of Badong city on the banks of the Yangtze River, in Hubei province, China, August 7, 2012.

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: Godwin from: Nigeria

September 21, 2012 1:34 PM

Report Comment

These protests should continue on daily basis. The liberal president was removed with the support of the West to usher in the mad Arab Spring. We are getting what we want from the Arab Spring - extremism! The west have no excuse here. The west should understand that no matter how much you bath a pig and dress it in fine linen clothes, it must return to the sludge. You cannot bring uniform democracy to all countries of the world. Arab Spring was not because of length of tenure, Never! The longest serving potentates also practiced democracy being govt of the people by the people for the people. They practiced democratic principles. But what do we get from their successors of the Arab Spring? A unified force to fight western civilization. Whether you like it or not, all of them are behind Tehran's nuclear program. By the time it's been accomplished..., only God can predict what the next step will be.

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

Video

Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.