Tunisian police used a water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters trying to reach central Tunis, Jan. 14, 2022, to demonstrate against the president in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions. Reuters video footage showed jets of water being fired at the protesters, as riot police armed with shields attempted to break up the rally. A heavy police presence prevented the protesters from gathering in Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main street in central Tunis that is the traditional focal point of demonstrations, including during the 2011 revolution that brought democracy. Friday’s protest goes against a ban on all indoor or outdoor gatherings the government announced Tuesday, to stop a COVID-19 wave.
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