Gabès, Tunisia — Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who marched into the Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) phosphate-processing complex in Gabès on Monday, injuring several people and reigniting long-simmering anger over pollution from the industry, local residents and activists said.
The protests were sparked by a recent gas leak that sent dozens — including children — to hospital with respiratory problems. Although authorities said the leak was contained, it revived fears in the coastal city, where communities living near the plant have for years reported foul air, contaminated water, declining marine life and what they describe as elevated cancer rates.
GCT, the state-owned chemical group, is a pillar of Tunisia’s economy, supplying fertilizer to markets in Europe and Asia. But its Gabès operations sit close to residential neighborhoods and the ecologically sensitive Gulf of Gabès, making the site a flashpoint in debates over jobs versus public health.
Demonstrators accused officials of failing to deliver on environmental commitments, pointing in particular to a 2017 government pledge to relocate the facility further from populated areas — a plan that remains unfulfilled. “People are tired of waiting while their children get sick,” said one protester, calling for an independent probe into the leak and a clear timeline for moving the plant.
There was no immediate comment from GCT. Authorities did not provide a tally of injuries but said order had been restored around the complex.
Environmental groups are urging the government to publish air and water quality data, phase out toxic emissions and establish a compensation fund for affected families, warning that unrest will continue unless residents see concrete action.
