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A Jewish school in southern Tunisia was hit by petrol bombs during anti-government protests, witnesses said on Wednesday.
No one was hurt but the school suffered some light damage in the attack late on Tuesday during a violent protest against austerity measures in the tourist resort island of Djerba, the head of the Jewish community, Perez Trabelsi, told Reuters.
Anger has been building up since the government said that, from Jan. 1, it would increase the price of gasoil, some goods, and taxes on cars, phone calls, the internet, hotel accommodation and other items, part of austerity measures agreed with its foreign lenders.
Tunisia’s main opposition party will step up protests until the government drops the “unjust” 2018 budget, its leader said on Tuesday, a day after demonstrations against austerity measures broke out.
The 2018 budget includes price and tax increases effective from Jan 1.
Earlier, Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed sought to calm anti-austerity protesters with promises of an end to economic hardship, a day after one demonstrator was killed in clashes with police on the previous day.
Protests erupted in more than 10 towns across Tunisia against price and tax increases imposed by the government to reduce a ballooning deficit and an economic crisis.
One protestor was killed in Tebourba, a town 40 km (25 miles) west of Tunis.
The protests are much smaller compared to previous turmoil seen in Tunisia since the overthrow of autocrat ruler Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. (NAN)
