By MondAfrique: On Thursday, August 7, 2025, unidentified groups attempted to forcefully enter the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) offices at Mohamed Ali Square, brandishing hateful and hostile slogans against the country’s main labor union action, calling for its dissolution. These extremely serious scenes are reminiscent of the aggression orchestrated against the UGTT back in December 2012 by so-called “revolution protection” militias.
This is not a random event. It is happening within a climate of widespread repression, the criminalization of social movements and civic action, and the methodical suppression of all forms of dissent. The attack was made possible by the sudden removal of security barriers around the square, which raises serious questions about the role of the authorities.
The day prior, President Kaïs Saïed, in reaction to a three-day strike in the transport sector from July 30 to August 1, had publicly accused union members of “treason,” fueling a discourse of hatred and targeting that legitimizes physical attacks against institutions representing workers.
At the same time, the government unilaterally suspended all labor and bargaining negotiations, breaking the framework for dialogue, thus deepening polarization. This sequence of events can only be interpreted as an attempt to completely neutralize one of the country’s last remaining counter-powers.
The raid also comes at a particularly opportune moment for its instigators: in the middle of summer, when many activists are on vacation, media attention is reduced, and the organization itself is going through an internal crisis with deep disagreements over its governance.
By Mondafrique
