Pro-Palestine activists in Tunisia succeed in temporary closure of Carrefour

Tunisia's largest Carrefour branch was forced to shut its doors on Saturday afternoon after dozens of pro-Palestine protesters attempted to storm the store over its alleged complicity in Israel's war on Gaza.

Videos posted online showed demonstrators unfurling Palestinian flags, chanting "Carrefour is Zionist," and attempting to push their way into the store located in the upscale Tunis' suburb of La Marsa, all while facing heavy security from the company's own personnel.

The branch remained closed for three hours to prevent the protesters' entry.

"We shut down Carrefour Marsa on a Saturday. That's hundreds of millions lost, and this is only the beginning", said Wael Naouar, an activist with the Tunisian movement for Palestine.

The protest comes amid mounting backlash in Tunisia against the store, which activists accuse of links to Israel through its French parent company and Israeli franchise.

They cite reports from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement that Carrefour Israel has sent care packages to Israeli soldiers and continues to operate in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank through partnerships with companies such as Shufersal and Electra Consumer Products.

Carrefour Tunisia, though operated by the local UTIC Group, remains part of this global network, and for protesters, that's the problem.

"They say Carrefour Tunisia is 100% Tunisian. But they use the name, the supply chain, the branding, all of it. That makes them complicit", explained Naouar.

Since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, boycott calls against the French company have grown into a regional protest movement across the Middle East and North Africa.

In Tunisia, weekly demonstrations have taken place in cities including Sfax, Sousse, and El Mourouj.

In March, a university student was arrested after tearing down a Carrefour banner during a World Cup qualifier match. He was later released, but the incident sparked outrage, especially after footage emerged showing security forces tackling him violently.

Activists say they're emboldened by wins in other countries. In Jordan and Oman, Carrefour branches have already closed following public pressure.

Carrefour Tunisia employs more than 5,000 Tunisians and has denied any political involvement. However, for activists, the aim is not merely a closure, rather it's de-branding.

They are calling on UTIC to drop the Carrefour name and follow the example of branches in other countries that have severed ties with the French company.

A statement issued by UTIC last year insisted Carrefour Tunisia is "100% Tunisian, and it supports the Palestinian people" and has "no connection whatsoever with the policies of any foreign group."

In 2023, Carrefour parent company stated that it maintains a position of strict neutrality regarding political or religious matters and clarified that it does not "directly" operate in Israel. It operates through its Israeli partner Yenot Bitan.

Still, protesters remain unconvinced.

"You can't wash your hands of it while sharing profits with the parent company," argues the Tunisian pro-Palestine movement in several statements. 

While Tunisian police have occasionally tried to block demonstrations, citing security concerns, organisers say more "surprise actions" are in the works. They also hope to ramp up pressure on other brands included on the BDS list.

"Even if all we did was take one sandwich away from the Israeli army, it was worth it [...] Every shopping basket we stop from entering Carrefour means we've prevented six bullets from reaching the Zionist entity," said Naouar.