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| The profile pic for the "2010-11 School's In" group on Facebook. |
It's worth noting today that many of the social media organizations have adopted the Guy Fawkes mask of the film "V for Vendetta" as part of their graphics package. When I started following this situation before Christmas, such imagery seemed a little hyperbolic. Now, I'm not so sure. Today, the protesters took to the heart of the Tunisian regime - the Bardo district. The harder Ben Ali's forces crack down on this movement, the more his regime resembles that of the fictional Adam Sutler.
Information is coming in fast; really fast. Some of the changes in the situation are nothing short of remarkable.
• The journalists' union - publicly supportive of the regime as recently as a week ago - is now launching a nationwide strike, saying they are unwilling to lie anymore!
• Three separate reliable sources confirm large protests in the Bardo. This is a section of Tunis that is home to the museum and many government buildings, including the Parliament. This is a really huge development: This ain't the hinterland, this ain't a locals-only section of the city, this is the government's home-field.
• One source reports a girl was shot dead during the Bardo protests.
• Police and active-duty military are attempting to break up protests from the Bardo down to Manouba. Sounds like it's all along the P5 highway, and video shows 'flash-mob' like protests on the No. 4 line metro.
• Credibility of this report is suspect, but stranger things have been proven true: Supposedly, government-backed 'thugs' are dressing in ski masks and looting, while being filmed by Tunisian TV crews. Allegedly this is being done to be broadcast on television to back up Ben Ali's claims of 'terrorism' by the protesters.
(below is 10 p.m. ET update)
• Unrest reported in the southern city of Tozeur.
• Ben Ali's son-in-law (and once and future heir apparent) Sakhr el-Matri has arrived in Montreal... rats from a sinking ship? (update: multiple sources confirming el-Matri's arrival now).
• Federal troops, and troop transports, have been reported all over Tunis, from Ave HB, up to Belvedere Park, and around the lake neighborhoods.
• The Economist now republishing the rampant rumor that the army chief of staff has been dismissed for ordering the active-duty soldiers NOT to fire on demonstrators. Heard this yesterday; seemed far-fetched. Is this going the way of Romania in '89; Moscow in '91?
• The Twitterati are now referring to this as the "Jasmine Revolt," after the Tunisian national flower. I guess every movement's gotta have a name.
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