For months the town of Agareb, near Tunisia’s coast, had reeked of rubbish because of an overflowing landfill. In September the authorities closed the site, which residents were calling a danger to public health.
But this month, after trash had piled up in the streets, it was reopened. Protesters cried foul and on November 10th clashed with security forces. Along with the stench of tear-gas and garbage, a new smell filled the air: burning tyres.
One person was killed and a police station was ransacked. It was the worst violence in Tunisia since President Kais Saied suspended parliament and grabbed power in July. Critics called his actions a coup.
But many in Agareb applauded him. The town of 40,000 has long been neglected. Its poor residents have grown disillusioned with the country’s decade-old democracy. They say they voted overwhelmingly for Mr Saied in 2019, hoping he would clean up corruption. If he had to act like an authoritarian to do it, so be it.
