A general strike brought life to a standstill in the coastal city of Gabès, southern Tunisia, as tens of thousands of protesters demanded the closure of a state-owned chemical plant seen as the region’s main source of pollution.
The strike, organized by the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), shut down shops, markets, schools, and cafés. Demonstrators carried banners denouncing the environmental damage caused by the phosphate plant operated by the Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa (CGT) and chanted slogans calling for the city’s right to a healthy environment.
The protest follows a recent review revealing serious environmental violations at the plant, which discharges thousands of tons of waste daily into the Mediterranean Sea, harming marine life and threatening the livelihoods of local fishermen.
In response, the government announced plans to build a cancer treatment hospital in Gabès to address rising health cases, as authorities express concern that the protests could spread to other regions facing similar issues.
