CAIRO: Tunisia's culture ministry on Tuesday condemned the recent spate of attacks against the el-Aqsa Festival in Bizette by a group of ultra-conservative Salafists in the country. It was the latest attack against a culture event in the country, which has seen violent reprisals against culture and art in the country in past few months. In the statement from the ministry, it also lashed out at the ongoing attacks against culture across the country, calling it a “dangerous drift.” The Ministry said that “what had happened was not only an attack against freedom of expression and creation but also augurs of a sectarian conflict strange to our Tunisian society, known for its balance, tolerance and moderation.” In the statement, they called on all sides “to oppose such extremist practices,” demanding justice against the perpetrators. Earlier this year, Salafists attacked a television channel over the airing of the French-Iranian film Persepolis in the first such attack on institutions or media over what the activists deemed anti-Islamic.
