Fresh but peaceful protests in Tunisia's capital

From Tommy Evans and Rima Maktabi, CNN

January 19, 2011 -- Updated 1219 GMT (2019 HKT)

CNN crew caught in Tunisia tear gas

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Hundreds of people march to a police line and chant
• Witnesses say the police demeanor appears more relaxed
• One official said the government isn't meeting on Wednesday

Tunis, Tunisia -- Another day of demonstrations in Tunisia's capital city commenced Wednesday, a peaceful rally in a city wracked by violent protests.

A crowd that grew to about 1,000 people tramped down Avenue Habib Bourguiba, singing the country's national anthem and chanting against the former ruling party and the former president, who fled the country last week amid the country-wide grass-roots uprising.

The people strode to a police line and met the officers eyeball to eyeball, but there was no conflict. Witnesses said the police demeanor appeared more relaxed than in previous days with the officers holding their ground but not acting aggressively.

This is in contrast to other days in Tunis, when police lobbed tear gas and dispersed peaceful throngs of marchers with batons.

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As protesters chanted, an army helicopter flew over the city and that drew a cheer from the crowd, which views the army as a calming factor in the street conflict and sees the police as aligned with former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his Constitutional Democratic Rally party.

This comes as Tunisian officials attempt to keep afloat the country's unity government, formed earlier this week with members of the opposition and the Ben Ali party.

But there have been difficulties in getting that administration going because protesters are demanding that more should be done to sweep the old guard out of power.

Tunisia's interim president and prime minister resigned from the ousted leader's ruling party, state TV said Tuesday, a move seen as a gesture to placate angry street demonstrators and keep the unity government afloat.

But at least four ministers from opposition parties have pulled back from the new government, leaving some observers concerned that the coalition may collapse before it can set up new elections.

Asked whether the unity government will collapse if demonstrations continue, Minister of Social Affairs Moncer Rouissi said that everyone has the right to demonstrate but that will not stop the government from fulfilling its duties.