Salafists clash with police in Tunisia

[hellheaven1987]

I am not surprised this anti-alcohol selling protest.

Hundreds of Salafists have clashed with security forces and attacked a police station in a Tunisian town.

The clashes, in Jendouba, were sparked when the ultra-conservative Muslims began protesting against the arrest of four fellow Muslims.

The number of those who took part, some armed with clubs and Molotov cocktails, swelled to 500 during the day.

After setting fire to the security headquarters, the group attacked bars and stores selling alcohol.

The group were angered by the arrest of fellow Muslims in connection with previous attacks on alcohol sellers.

"This morning, four men were arrested in connection with attacks on alcohol vendors in recent days," Interior Ministry official Lutfi al-Haydari told Reuters.

One eyewitness in the town said some of the rioters were armed with petrol bombs.

"Masked Salafis armed with swords, petrol bombs and rocks attacked shops in the town and destroyed the goods inside and then set fire to the police station," the witness, who declined to give her name, told the news agency.

"The whole town is in a state of alarm and fear because of these clashes."

The country's official TAP news agency said police had fired tear gas to disperse the protesters who eventually took refuge in a mosque.

Since the fall in January 2011 of Tunisia's autocratic leader, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, there has been a resurgence of hardline Islamists in the country.

Some of the Salafists' most radical branches have been holding demonstrations to demand an introduction of Sharia law in Tunisia.

The violence came a week after Salafis attacked bars and other places selling alcohol in Sidi Bouzid, the central western town where the Tunisian revolution began, inspiring a wave of pro-democracy movements across North African and the Middle East.

Source

Be honest I am quite interesting about Salafism in Tunisia; it seems there are quite a large number of conservative Muslims in Tunisia that favor a more traditional approach towards Islam - those people may not want a Sharia law but definitely want to impose some traditional values on society (like restriction of alcohol selling, which I actually not against). Can anyone give some ideas what is the situation of Tunisia now?

[Blaze86420]

The Salafist cause will always be ridiculed and criticised, not because of what they try to achieve but because of how they plan to do it. Alcohol should be banned in Tunisia, and every other Muslims state in the world. But setting liquor stores on fire is not how you do it.

[Babur]

The Salafist cause will always be ridiculed and criticised, not because of what they try to achieve but because of how they plan to do it. Alcohol should be banned in Tunisia, and every other Muslims state in the world. But setting liquor stores on fire is not how you do it.

So you agree with the Salafists' aims but not their methods?

[molonthegreat]

The Salafist cause will always be ridiculed and criticised, not because of what they try to achieve but because of how they plan to do it. Alcohol should be banned in Tunisia, and every other Muslims state in the world. But setting liquor stores on fire is not how you do it.

It's nice seeing people who don't want people to be able to decide what they want to drink, also why the hell should just the Muslims be deprived of the pleasures of alcohol? Whatever happened to secularism?

[Blaze86420]

It's nice seeing people who don't want people to be able to decide what they want to drink, also why the hell should just the Muslims be deprived of the pleasures of alcohol? Whatever happened to secularism?

Because it's a poison both figuratively and literally speaking, it damages the individual and everybody around him. There is no argument to be made for alcohol or any other drug besides the individual liberty card which does not run with me. It's not about religion or secularism, its about logic and practicality. the only reason I'm not advocating the same thing here where I live is because it would be disastrous. But alcoholism has not infiltrated middle eastern society yet and it should stay the same.

[Babur]

Because it's a poison both figuratively and literally speaking, it damages the individual and everybody around him. There is no argument to be made for alcohol or any other drug besides the individual liberty card which does not run with me. It's not about religion or secularism, its about logic and practicality. the only reason I'm not advocating the same thing here where I live is because it would be disastrous. But alcoholism has not infiltrated middle eastern society yet and it should stay the same.

That doesn't sound too different from Salafism

[molonthegreat]

Because it's a poison both figuratively and literally speaking, it damages the individual and everybody around him. There is no argument to be made for alcohol or any other drug besides the individual liberty card which does not run with me. It's not about religion or secularism, its about logic and practicality. the only reason I'm not advocating the same thing here where I live is because it would be disastrous. But alcoholism has not infiltrated middle eastern society yet and it should stay the same.

Since it's obviously so logical and practical to ban alcohol, leaving it to organized crime to profit from it instead of allowing and regulating it.

[Blaze86420]

Since it's obviously so logical and practical to ban alcohol, leaving it to organized crime to profit from it instead of allowing and regulating it.

That's why I'm not advocating banning it in a society that is defined by alcohol consumption, it will create more problems than it will solve. BUT, in a society where that is not the case, alcohol should be banned so the same will never happen there.

[Admiral Piett]

Because it's a poison both figuratively and literally speaking, it damages the individual and everybody around him. There is no argument to be made for alcohol or any other drug besides the individual liberty card which does not run with me. It's not about religion or secularism, its about logic and practicality. the only reason I'm not advocating the same thing here where I live is because it would be disastrous. But alcoholism has not infiltrated middle eastern society yet and it should stay the same.

Actually, lives of vice like drinking and whores amongst the wealthy and governance is part of what lead to the Islamic conservatives re-emerging. The Shah's government of Iran was known for crazy partying. Pakistan and Egypt too.

If one wishes to promote abstinence, they'd be better off appealing to people's faith in order to do so, not dictated by secular law, which will only go in one direction - black markets and the rise of opportunistic crime lords. Perhaps an edict from the church that anyone living an alcoholic existence will be expelled from their prayer services or something like that may suffice?

I don't really get why anyone would particularly want to go back down roads long since trodden though.

[Dr. Croccer]

The Salafist cause will always be ridiculed and criticised, not because of what they try to achieve but because of how they plan to do it. Alcohol should be banned in Tunisia, and every other Muslims state in the world. But setting liquor stores on fire is not how you do it.

Salafism should be banned because it's an inferior and backwards ideology whose members can only communicate with apelike explosions of violence if their demands aren't fulfilled.

It's not my opinion, it's just logic.

I really don't get where people get the nerve from to take a clearly subjective issue, take a position, and then pretend that theirs is infallible.

[Babur]

Salafism should be banned because it's an inferior and backwards ideology whose members can only communicate with apelike explosions of violence if their demands aren't fulfilled.

It's not my opinion, it's just logic.

I really don't get where people get the nerve from to take a clearly subjective issue, take a position, and then pretend that theirs is infallible.

I didn't know that Salafism had a presence in TWC tbh

Since it's obviously so logical and practical to ban alcohol, leaving it to organized crime to profit from it instead of allowing and regulating it.

prohibition didn't work IRL or in the movies

[molonthegreat]

prohibition didn't work IRL or in the movies

Prohibition of any kind have never worked and never will work, since that's just how humans work. Which makes Blaze's statement that it is the only logical and practical thing to do so mind boggling.

That's why I'm not advocating banning it in a society that is defined by alcohol consumption, it will create more problems than it will solve. BUT, in a society where that is not the case, alcohol should be banned so the same will never happen there.

You mean like how banning cocaine in countries that aren't defined by cocaine consumption magically means that people will never use cocaine in those countries?

[Babur]

Prohibition of any kind have never worked and never will work, since that's just how humans work.

indeed it's human nature

Which makes Blaze's statement that it is the only logical and practical thing to do so mind boggling.

if you've been on TWC long enough, you would get used to this kind of stuff

[Admiral Piett]

Lol Prohibition is so 1920.

[Grouchio]

Lol Prohibition is so 1920.

[MathiasOfAthens]

What I hate the most about these groups is their belief that their god says this and this and thus they have the right to set fire to alcohol stores... they think they are right and everyone else is wrong and that is entirely against the idea of democracy and hence why they can never work in any system or state. I hope they get kicked out.


Whereever Salafists go there is trouble.

[Babur]

Whereever Salafists go there is trouble.

Saudi Arabia gives them financial support as well

[Their Law]

What I hate the most about these groups is their belief that their god says this and this and thus they have the right to set fire to alcohol stores... they think they are right and everyone else is wrong and that is entirely against the idea of democracy and hence why they can never work in any system or state. I hope they get kicked out.

That's pretty much true of every hardline religious sect.

[LaMuerte]

at OP : Could you please explain the '' at the end of the first sentence you put up when you post something? I'm having trouble understanding what you exactly mean. Plain English is ok for me...

[Heinz Guderian]

at OP : Could you please explain the '' at the end of the first sentence you put up when you post something? I'm having trouble understanding what you exactly mean. Plain English is ok for me...

i think it means he has having a bit of fun perhaps a "haha!". Another member (in this very thread in fact) kept doing it until i threatened him. Now he doesnt