TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisians began three days of mourning Friday, lowering flags and broadcasting recitations of the Qur'an to mourn dozens who died in the protests that drove their autocratic leader from power.
About 1,000 demonstrators gathered in the courtyard of Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi's offices, some climbing lampposts and hanging Tunisian flags and hand-lettered signs.
Central Tunis has seen near-daily protests in the past week by those who say the caretaker government is still too dominated by cronies of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
The government has declared three days of national mourning as it struggles to restore calm and reconcile this Muslim nation in North Africa, whose people are hopeful yet scarred by 23 years of limited freedom that ended when Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.
Tunisia is also a beach and desert haven for European tourists and U.S. ally in the fight against terror.
Friday's protest in Tunis, the seaside capital, started at the long-dreaded Interior Ministry then moved to Ghannouchi's offices. The wall of one building was covered with anti-government and pro-revolutionary graffiti, including "Death to the Dictatorship" spray-painted in black letters.
Police in some locations were joining ranks with protesters. Officers climbed atop their patrol cars with protesters, waving flags and chanting along with demonstrators outside the prime minister's office. One policeman was lifted onto the shoulders of demonstrators and was seen chanting pro-police slogans along with the crowd.
Outside the Interior Ministry a policeman in tears took off his uniform cap and joined the marching demonstrators to applause by protesters.
The government says 78 civilians were killed, many shot by police, in nearly a month of protests over unemployment, corruption and repression that eventually forced Ben Ali to flee. A French photographer was also killed as were some security forces, and scores of people were injured. Opposition members say the death toll was much higher.
On Friday, flags were lowered at public buildings around Tunisia, and television showed little but Qur'an recitations. In Tunis, however, many shops and businesses opened as usual.
The protest near the Interior Ministry was almost festive, with women ululating and crowds carrying balloons. Omar Shahbani, a 43-year-old auditor, carried 15 balloons of different sizes and colours.
"I brought the beautiful colours of the Tunisian people," he said. "The balloons make people happy and remind us of the festival that freedom is."
He said the mood was similar to 1987, when Ben Ali took power in a bloodless coup.
"I was 23 in 1987 and today I feel like I'm 23 again. My youth has returned to me with this revolution," he said.
Some protesters held a sign in English referring to President Barack Obama's "Yes, we can" campaign slogan: "They said 'We can,' Tunisians say, 'We DO!"
On Thursday, the army fired warning shots to calm a noisy but peaceful protest in front of the long-ruling RCD party's headquarters, where demonstrators took down a huge sign and demanded that the government be dismantled, too.
Ministers in the interim government, Tunisia's first multiparty Cabinet, met for the first time Thursday and came out showing a united front. The government has already seen several resignations since it was formed Monday.
The government suggested that Islamists imprisoned under Ben Ali would be given amnesty and pledged to restore goods and real estate appropriated by the ruling party.
Tunisians espousing political Islam are now seeking a place in the government. Still, they will face many challenges in this westward-looking nation where abortions — taboo in many Muslim societies — are legal and Muslim headscarves are banned in public buildings.
Slim Amamou, a blogger jailed under Ben Ali's repressive policies, was named to the new government this week. He tweeted throughout a Cabinet meeting and later told reporters, "This is a good government."
"What happened in this meeting I am completely comfortable with. These people want to serve their country," he said.
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Bouazza ben Bouazza in Tunis contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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