Over fifty years ago, the industrial port of Gabès, a city in southern Tunisia located between the country’s two largest industrial zones —Gafsa and Sfax— was established. As production and industry in the region expanded, the authorities decided to set up additional production units.
Within a few years, the area had turned into a massive complex containing numerous factories specializing in the production of chemical fertilizers and other products whose manufacture released large quantities of toxic gases and industrial waste. This, in turn, led to widespread pollution and many diseases, especially respiratory and skin illnesses.
The region used to be one of the richest marine nurseries of the Mediterranean, with a large stock of fish sufficient to meet the needs of the entire area. However, with the start of industrialization and the dumping of industrial waste into the sea —especially phosphogypsum— the entire ecosystem was devastated, and this natural wealth completely disappeared. The beach was destroyed, and so was the coastal oasis, leading to a gradual decline of agriculture and fishing. Consequently, unemployment rose sharply, and many traditional occupations in these sectors disappeared.
The state-owned chemical complex has become a nightmare for the local population, symbolizing both human losses caused by pollution and the economic devastation of their previous sources of livelihood —the oasis and the sea.
The environmental movement continues since the Revolution
The Tunisian Revolution opened the door to a wave of protest movements and the raising of social demands across the country. Gabès, which had suffered from gas emissions and pollution caused by the chemical complex since the 1970s, also rose up. Protests escalated to the point of sit-ins inside the factory and even temporary shutdowns of production, demanding either the closure of the complex or a radical solution to reclaim their city from what they call “pollution and death.”
Since 2016, accidents caused by the chemical complex have occurred without interruption. According to both scientific assessments and the local population’s accounts, the plant has exceeded its legal lifespan, and no maintenance or repair can meaningfully reduce the dangers. The people of Gabès know this well —they are racing against time.
Looking back chronologically:
- October 2016: a worker died of asphyxiation due to a gas leak inside the plant.
- 2017: a gas pipeline explosion occurred near a residential area.
- 2019: a series of protests erupted over increasing gas emissions and recurring asphyxiation incidents.
- 2020: a fire broke out in the complex, reigniting public debate over its dangers.
From 2021 to 2025, the same problems persisted without any real solutions.
After the most recent asphyxiation incidents, the entire population took to the streets in collective outrage, sparking a mass movement.
This new wave of protests began about two weeks ago, after students at a middle school suffered asphyxiation due to gas emissions —a tragedy that repeated the following day, this time even more severely, affecting over 100 people, mostly students and the elderly.
These two incidents ignited the movement, leading to a mass demonstration of over 40,000 people marching toward the chemical complex. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, the march was blocked and dispersed by security forces. Protesters demanded the dismantling of the factory units responsible for the toxic emissions and decades of pollution.
The people of Gabès have been patient for too long. In 2017, after repeated accidents and a large wave of protests, the government of Youssef Chahed issued a decision to dismantle the polluting units of the complex —but this decision was never implemented, remaining empty promises. Even worse, earlier this year the authorities had decided to boost production further.
Today, the residents have learned their lesson. After years of neglect and denial, they have drawn the hard lessons of experience —that only steadfast struggle brings real change.
October 22: a 100% successful general strike in the city
This movement, known by all as “The Movement for Life,” is a continuation of years of individual and collective struggle —by civil society, some political organizations, and independent activists. Today’s mass uprising marks a turning point after years of rejection, neglect, and indifference.
The central slogan raised by the people of Gabès is:
“We Want to Live”
embodied in the chant:
“The People Want the Dismantling of the Units.”
They are demanding the removal of decaying factory units that have exceeded their legal lifespan by over 15 years, which residents warn could soon cause a major catastrophe.
The general strike was called by local citizens and members of the “Stop Pollution” collective, founded years ago in Gabès to demand a healthy environment and real solutions for the region.
Despite its weakened position, the regional branch of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) had no choice but to join the movement, endorse the strike, and support the people’s demands.
The strike and demonstration were entirely peaceful, with no police presence, as confirmed by both photos and media reports —a testament to the discipline and political awareness of the masses, and their deep understanding of the legitimacy of their cause.
The demonstration swept through the city’s streets, with the crowd gathering in the largest square in the region. More than 140,000 people participated —the largest mobilization in the area’s history— and the city’s activities were brought to complete paralysis.
During the strike, protesters reaffirmed their commitment to continue the struggle until the dismantling of the polluting units is achieved. The massive turnout embarrassed the authorities, exposing their confusion and weakness in the face of such a powerful lesson from the people —despite earlier attempts to smear the protesters as “conspirators” or “saboteurs.”
The calls for further action continue, and the people of Gabès remain determined to defend their demands. Under pressure, President Kais Saied has called for repairs to the industrial units to stop the leaks, and for the building of a cancer hospital in the city. But the protesting residents reject any partial measures, temporary fixes or false promises—insisting only on one thing: the immediate dismantling of the units.
The inspiring revolt shaking Gabès —and now spreading beyond the region— makes clear that the struggle for a livable environment, the struggle against Saied’s authoritarian rule, and the struggle for real democratic control over the economy are all inseparable.