Residents in the southern Tunisian city of Gabes forced their way into the state-run Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT) phosphate complex on Saturday, calling for its closure over pollution and rising respiratory illnesses, witnesses said.
The protest underscores pressure on President Kais Saied’s government—already grappling with an economic crunch—to reconcile public health concerns with phosphate output, a key export. Videos shared on social media showed demonstrators marching through the site and chanting for the plant to be dismantled. Soldiers and military vehicles were seen inside the facility; there were no reports of clashes.
“Gabes has turned into a city of death… many residents suffer from cancer or bone fragility due to severe pollution,” protester Khaireddine Dbaya told Reuters.
GCT did not respond to requests for comment.
Saied last week condemned what he called an “environmental assassination” in Gabes, blaming legacy policy choices for widespread illness and ecosystem damage, and urging swift adoption of youth-proposed remedies. Authorities had pledged in 2017 to dismantle the complex and replace it with a facility that meets international standards, but the plan remains unfulfilled.
Environmental groups say tons of waste are dumped daily into the Chatt Essalam sea, devastating marine life. Local fishermen report a sharp fall in catches over the past decade. Outrage intensified this week after dozens of schoolchildren suffered breathing difficulties attributed to toxic fumes; videos showed parents and emergency crews aiding students struggling to breathe.
Despite public anger, the government aims to revive the phosphate sector, targeting a fivefold production increase to 14 million tonnes by 2030 to tap global demand.