Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Police Fire Tear Gas at Tunisian Protesters

   VOA News  24 January 2011
   Tunisian  protesters who walked from Sidi Bouzid, lay on the ground in
   front of the prime minister building in Tunis, 23 Jan 2011

Photo: AP

   Tunisian  protesters who walked from Sidi Bouzid, lay on the ground in
   front of the prime minister building in Tunis, 23 Jan 2011

   Police in Tunisia have fired tear gas at anti-government protesters to
   try to break up demonstrations outside the prime minister's office.
   The  confrontation  Monday  comes  after protesters gathered overnight
   outside  the  building  in the capital, Tunis, in defiance of a curfew
   order.
   On  Sunday,  hundreds  of  people  took  to the streets to demand that
   holdovers   from   former   president   Zine   El  Abidine  Ben  Ali's
   administration be kept out of a new government.
   Mr. Ben Ali fled Tunisia earlier this month amid an eruption of unrest
   over high unemployment and food prices.
   State media reported Sunday that Larbi Nasra, the owner of Hannibal TV
   and  a  relative  of  Mr.  Ben  Ali's wife, was arrested on charges of
   treason.
   Also  detained  were  the  former presidential spokesman Abdelaziz Ben
   Dhia and head of the Senate Abdallah Kallel.
   The  government  has  said  at least 78 people have been killed in the
   violence.   U.N. officials have said the death toll may be as high as
   100.

.