Violence erupts during anti-pollution protest as anger boils in Tunisia’s phosphate belt

GABES, Tunisia (AP) — Police rained tear gas on crowds and several demonstrators and riot police were injured in the southern Tunisian city of Gabes as thousands of people marched Wednesday to protest worsening air pollution from a phosphate-processing plant.

The protest descended into clashes with police who attempted to disperse protesters trying to reach the plant in an industrial complex, which is a designated military zone. Gabes, home to more than 400,000 residents, lies at the heart of Tunisia’s phosphate industry, one of the key sources of export revenue for the North African country.

Wednesday’s protests were the latest since a gas leak near the state-owned Chemical Group of Tunisia industrial complex. The leak sent dozens of residents, including children, to hospitals in recent weeks, according to environmental activist group “Stop Pollution.”

The leak reignited long-standing anger in the coastal city, where residents blame more than five decades of industrial activity for rising cancer rates, respiratory illnesses and the collapse of the region’s once-thriving and unique ecosystem.

By nightfall Wednesday, plumes of tear gas, burning tires and trash bins filled the streets as protesters blocked major roads and chanted against what they called “environmental crimes.” Many demanded the dissolution of the GCT and closure of its phosphate units, which they accused of slowly poisoning Gabes.

The city’s chemical complex processes raw phosphate into fertilizer, an operation that for decades has discharged toxic waste directly into the Gulf of Gabes. Environmental groups say the pollution has wiped out marine life, turned the waters dark and forced generations of fishermen out of work.

Successive Tunisian governments have promised to relocate or modernize the plant, but environmental activists say those pledges have repeatedly gone unfulfilled.

Tunisia’s National Observatory for Agriculture has repeatedly warned air quality in parts of Gabes exceeds limits set by the World Health Organization. Environmental experts repeatedly noted the persistent high levels of sulfur dioxide and ammonia in the atmosphere, pollutants known to cause respiratory damage and contribute to acid rain.

“Our entire lives have been ruined by the smells and smoke we inhale every day,” said 30-year-old Hanen, who declined to provide her last name out of fear of retribution.

On the sidelines of Wednesday’s protest, she told The Associated Press that tensions escalated in recent weeks after the new gas leak sent a wave of panic through the community.

“They refused to tell us what was causing people to get sick, even children were hospitalized, and some developed paralysis,” she said. “They disregarded our worries and called us liars, and that drove people angry … We want this complex dismantled, and we will not stop until it happens.”

The GCT acknowledged “major non-conformities” in its operations in a July 2025 environmental audit, citing excessive ammonia and other emissions that fall short of global environmental standards. Despite the admission by the company, the government and even Tunisian President Kais Saied, residents say no visible action has followed.

Saied said in a statement earlier this week that he ordered the formation of an urgent joint commission to meet protesters’ demands.

“Serious failures were found in maintenance and testing that led to gas leaks. There will be no tolerance for those who neglected their duties,” Saied said. “The people of Gabes will receive their full rights.”