Tunisian Salafists shutdown ‘un-Islamic’ events

Salafists across Tunisia last week disrupted cultural events they deemed ‘un-Islamic’, increasing fears the country may become more hardline Islamic after the revolution which ousted largely secular President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. However there has also been a secular backlash, with protests against Islamisation.

Tunisian actor Lotfi Abdelli was prevented from performing a comedy show called “100 percent Halal” on Tuesday by Salafists who occupied the auditorium in the town of Menzel Bourguiba. On Wednesday, an Iranian group was prevented from performing at a Sufi music festival in the town of Kairouan because Salafists viewed the Shi’a chanting as un-Islamic.