'It’s none of our business': Egyptians resort to humour following Tunisian protests

Egyptians have taken to social media, using memes to express concern over the latest round of anti-government protests in Tunisia. 

Hashtags like #Tunisia_has_taken_the_streets and #Tunisia_is_rising_ up have been widely shared online, with Tunisians calling for change amid the start of the country's election campaign season.

The slogans emerged as tensions rise in the North African country, where over 100 members of the opposition Ennahda party were arrested in the lead-up to the country’s election campaign season. The party condemned the arrests, calling them an "unprecedented campaign of raids".

Thousands of Tunisians on Friday marched against President Kais Saied and his policies, in what was one of biggest protests in the country since 2021, when Saied consolidated power in a "constitutional coup".

The situation is particularly poignant for Egyptians, who are facing worsening socioeconomic conditions at home.

Many recalled how the 2011 Tunisian uprising at the start of the Arab Spring led to widespread protests and upheaval in their own country. 

In response, social media users have been sharing sarcastic memes, often featuring classic film references, to express their anxiety about the potential repercussions for Egypt.

One social media user nervously joked, “Tunisia took to the streets,” followed by the response, “It’s none of our business, Mohi.” 

تونس نزلت الشارع pic.twitter.com/QyNF2GEy4p

— محمد مكاوي‏🇵🇸𓂆 (@mekaw9) September 14, 2024

Various social media users echoed the same mix of humour and apprehension, using the phrase: “Tunisia is back on the street,” paired with film stills and images which show characters appearing stressed out or fainting, accompanied by captions like “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”

One social media user imagined a conversation between the two nations, with Egypt asking, “How did you do that?” in reference to the protests, and Tunisia responding, “This one is a bit too difficult for you.” 

Another user rewrote a famous scene from the Egyptian TV series Wannous, playing on the show’s theme of manipulation while also poking fun at state media narratives in Egypt. In the meme, the main character, the Devil, played by Yehia El-Fakharany, persuades the second lead, Yaqout, portrayed by Nabil Al-Halafawy, to not join the protests.

بلاش تعمل زى تونس 🇹🇳 احنا عندنا انجازات وكبارى 🤣 حتى شوف التلفزيون هتلاقيه بيقولك ان الاسعار كلها نزلت وهتنزل
اعقل ياياقوت وخلى عقلك فى راسك pic.twitter.com/wKTFZlrOB5

— Khaled Eldandarawy (@eldandar1) September 16, 2024

Translation: "Don’t act like Tunisia. We have more developments and bridges. Just watch TV and you will find it telling you that all prices have gone down and will continue to go down. Be reasonable, Yaqout, and keep your mind in your head."

On Friday, activists in Tunisia chanted slogans such as "Out with dictator Saied" and "No fear, no terror, streets belong to the people".

"We are in the street to defend freedoms and rights which are at real risk," Bassam Trifi, head of the Human Rights League, told Reuters.

"The electoral commission should respect the court ruling and end restrictions against candidates. Otherwise, it means an undemocratic election."