More than 300 people were arrested and nearly 50 police officers wounded overnight on Wednesday in continued unrest in Tunisia over price hikes and austerity measures, the interior ministry said.

In the town of Thala, located near the border with Algeria, protestors torched the region's national security headquarters, prompting police forces to retreat and authorities to deploy soldiers.

Peaceful demonstrations erupted last week, but turned violent on Monday and Tuesday as they spread to more than 20 towns including in the suburbs of the capital, Tunis. Fresh clashes were reported across several towns for a third night on Wednesday.

Anger has boiled over since the beginning of the year due to a hike in value added tax and social security contributions as part of austerity demanded by international creditors. More than 600 people have been arrested this week for their part in the unrest.

Tunisians protest austerity measures Increasing anger Tunisians have held rallies across the country to protest the government's new austerity measures, aimed at minimizing the country's deficit. The Tunisian people have become increasingly angry since the government said it would increase the price of petrol, some goods, and taxes on cars, phone calls, the internet, hotel accommodation and other items from January 1.

Tunisians protest austerity measures One protester dead One protester died in unclear circumstances in Tebourba, a town 40 kilometers west of the capital Tunis. The Interior Ministry said that the 43-year old male was not killed due to police violence, but an autopsy would be carried out to determine the cause of death.

Tunisians protest austerity measures 'Nothing to do with democracy' Interior Ministry spokesman Khelifa Chibani said 44 protesters were arrested for carrying weapons such as knives, setting government buildings on fire and robbing stores. "What happened had nothing to do with democracy and protests against price hikes ... Yesterday protesters burned down two police stations, they looted shops, banks and damaged property in many cities," Chibani said.

Tunisians protest austerity measures Opposition to increase protests The leader of Tunisia's main opposition party Popular Front, Hamma Hammami, said they would step up protests until the government changed its "unjust" 2018 budget. "Today we have a meeting with the opposition parties to coordinate our movements, but we will stay on the street and we will increase the pace of the protests until the unjust financial law will be dropped," Hammami said.

Tunisians protest austerity measures Tunisia's economy in crisis Tunisia's has been in economic crisis since 2011, when the Arab Spring uprising unseated the government. Two major militant attacks in 2015 also greatly damaged the country's tourism industry, which made up eight percent of gross domestic product. Many people face unemployment, with official figures put the unemployment rate at around 15 percent. Author: Louisa Wright



Tunisia has been praised for its democratic transition following the 2011 revolution that ousted authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab Spring in North Africa and the Middle East.

But the country remains plagued by high unemployment and economic woes that nine governments since the revolution have been unable to address. The 2011 Arab Spring uprising and two Islamist attacks in 2015 have stymied foreign investment and tourism, which accounts for eight percent of Tunisia's economy.

Government vows to restore order

Activists have vowed to continue protests until the austerity measures are reversed, with more major rallies planned for Friday and Sunday, coinciding with the seventh anniversary of Ben Ali's fall.

Read more: Tunisia protests: Is there a trade-off between a strong economy and democracy?

The government has threatened to crack down on violent protests involving looting and burning of buildings and clashes with police. In some towns, protesters burned tires to block roads and threw stones at police.

Watch video 03:46 Share Tunisia – a struggling young democracy Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2kSCr Tunisia – a struggling young democracy

On Tuesday, suspected Islamists threw petrol bombs at a Jewish school on the tourist island of Djerba.

Read more - Tunisia's Jewish population determined stay despite anti-Semitic violence

One protester was killed on Monday, fueling anger although police said they were not responsible. There is no available figure on the number of injured protesters.

The military has been deployed to protect government buildings, banks and stores, the defense ministry said.

"What happened is violence that we cannot accept. The state will remain steadfast," Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said in a video broadcast by local radio.

Protests are common in Tunisia in January, when the country marks the anniversary of the revolution that ousted Ben Ali. The demonstrations are largely driven by economic grievances.

The Tunisian revolution and Arab Spring started in December 2010 after street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi burned himself to death in the town of Sidi Bouzid in protest over unemployment, poverty, police harassment and graft.

dm, cw/se (AFP, AP, Reuters)