Thousands of demonstrators marched in Tunisia’s capital Sunday, protesting against terrorism less than two weeks after gunmen attacked a museum and killed more than 20 people there.
“We came to express our support and to fight this danger that’s threatening our society and our stability,” said Rafik Abdessalem, Tunisia’s former foreign minister, who was among the crowd. “Fortunately, all Tunisians are united here today. We will be able to defeat terrorism, which is threatening Tunisia and all the neighboring countries.”
As a heavy police presence stood guard, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi marched alongside dignitaries and world leaders, including French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who led the crowd to the steps of the Bardo Museum.
Protesters held banners that said “We are not afraid” and “Je suis Bardo” as they chanted “Tunisia is free, and out with terrorism.”
On March 18, the art, culture and history museum was the site of a drastically different scene, as gunmen opened fire on tourists in a siege that also forced the evacuation of the neighboring Parliament.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in an audio message posted online the next day.
Hours before Sunday’s demonstration began, Tunisia’s Prime Minister announced that Algerian national Khaled Shayeb, the alleged architect of the museum assault, was one of nine suspected militants killed in a raid in the south of the country.