Book Reading Demonstration at Tunisia’s Symbolic Habib Bourguiba Avenue

The revolutions that are now collectively known as the Arab Spring began in Tunisia.

It was the first country where unprecedented street protests led to the fall of a longtime ruler.

President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled in January last year.

The protests continued as Tunisia searched for a new way forward.

Ironically, the current authorities banned protests recently on one of the Tunisian capital’s most symbolic streets.

Merchants along Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis had complained about too much business being lost because of all the demonstrations.

More protests followed, some of which turned violent.

Then ban was eventually lifted.

And Wednesday, a demonstration of sorts was held on Habib Bourguiba Avenue.

People literally sat on the street reading books.

Anchor Lisa Mullins talks to Ahmed Medien, a contributor to Global Voices. Meiden said the participants came from
“all walks of life and different political ideologies.” He said the books were abundant around each tree and in different genres and languages.