Tunisian arrested for running onto pitch, waving Palestinian flag during football match

During the Tunisia-Mali match yesterday, at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Tunis, Mohamed Amin Touihri stormed the field, tore down a Carrefour advertisement, and hoisted a Palestinian flag in protest against the brand’s ties to Israel, before being detained by police.

During the Tunisia-Mali match yesterday, at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Tunis, Mohamed Amin Touihri stormed the field, tore down a Carrefour advertisement, and hoisted a Palestinian flag in protest against the brand’s ties to Israel, before being detained by police. pic.twitter.com/8lYW6MNkJr

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 26, 2025

A Tunisian student was arrested for running onto the pitch and waving the Palestinian flag during an international football match in Tunis, the country’s student union said on Tuesday, Anadolu has reported. Mohamed Amin Touihri also tore down an advertisement hoarding at the side of the pitch for the French company Carrefour, apparently in protest at its links to the occupation state of Israel.

According to the General Tunisian Union of Students (UGTE), the student was taken into custody at the Rades Stadium during Monday’s football match between Tunisia and Malawi.

“The student waved the Palestinian flag in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian cause,” after tearing down the Carrefour advert, it said.

The union condemned the arrest as “a violation of freedom of expression and the right to take a firm and clear stance regarding national and humanitarian issues.” It reiterated its support for all rallies in support of the Palestinian cause.

A video of the student’s protest was shared on social media on Monday. There was no immediate comment from the Tunisian authorities on the incident.

Tunisia has seen several protests condemning Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, where more than 50,100 people have been killed in a brutal genocide since October 2023.

The Israeli army launched a surprise bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip on 18 March, killing nearly 800 more Palestinians and wounding over 1,600 others. The Israeli move shattered the already violated ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took effect in January.

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