Tunisians defend government ‘legitimacy’, chant anti-France slogans

Supporters of Tunisia’s ruling Islamic party have staged an anti-France demonstration in the capital to express their support for the ‘legitimacy’ of the government.

Thousands of Ennahda party supporters gathered in central Tunis on Saturday, accusing France, Tunisia’s former colonial ruler, of meddling in the county’s internal affairs.

Protesters chanted slogans such as “France get out!” and “The people want to protect the legitimacy” of the government.

They also carried banners that read, “Enough, France! Tunisia will never again be a French colony.”

Earlier in the day, the Ennahda party called for the gathering to “defend the legitimacy of the national constituent assembly” and to fight against the political violence it said the opposition is using.

Today’s demonstration came one day after hundreds of thousands anti-government protesters took to the streets of the Tunisian capital for the funeral of the slain opposition figure, Shokri Belaid.

Police also clashed with furious protesters who were throwing stones and petrol bombs in the central town of Qafsa on Friday.

On February 6, Belaid was shot dead after leaving his home in Tunis. His mysterious assassination dragged the North African nation into a political crisis.

Protests erupted across the nation and the headquarters of the Ennahda party were attacked in more than a dozen cities.

Ennahda has been accused of being behind Belaid’s killing. However, the party has vehemently denied the allegation.