| Summary/Abstract |
On January 14, 2011, thousands poured into Habib Bourguiba Street, the symbolic heart of Tunis. They streamed in front of the Interior Ministry and broke through security barriers as they raced through downtown streets. Chanting and waving placards, they denounced the security forces and the party that had been in power since Tunisia's independence from France in 1956. The protesters called for karama (dignity), for hurriyyah (freedom) and for President Ben Ali to step down. By late afternoon, Ben Ali and his family had taken the presidential plane to Saudi Arabia, leaving the country in chaos and the government in shambles.
|