Ultras in Tunisia: stadiums as a space for resistance

The slogans shouted by Ultras in Tunisia have always reflected the suffering and aspirations of youth in situations of crisis. Sung out from high up in the stands, their chants are not merely cries of support for a sports team, but a voice of resistance demanding the rights of a generation stifled by marginalization and unemployment. Through messages transcribed on banners and bellowed out in chants, Ultras give voice to disillusioned youth confronted with policies that continue to ignore their aspirations. Little by little, these groups have become the megaphone of an entire generation.

Wrapped in a black scarf bearing his group’s emblem, Fares (pseudonym), makes his way through the narrow alleys of the working-class neighborhood where he grew up. The faces of passers-by show a mix of curiosity and familiarity. Today is not just another day: it’s game day! Young people form caravans as they march towards the stadium, their hearts beating excitedly. Fares finds his friends. Their discussions swing between biting jokes and hasty analyses. But behind the playful atmosphere, these young people are apprehensive about what is to come. Entering the stadium doesn’t just mean finding one’s seat in the stands, but, first of all, crossing a border of systematic repression.

Stadium doors: Checkpoints, or pretext for humiliation?

Outside the doors of the Rades Olympic Stadium, time seems to have reached a momentary standstill. Gazes settle on the police uniforms outfitting different bodies, equipped with batons and guns, carried for the purpose of “securing a sports event.” The body search begins. This is not just a security measure, but an initiation into humiliation. Hands search pockets as if searching for evidence of guilt. Harsh, unjustified orders pour down on supporters: “Take off your shoes!” “Take off your hat!” “Empty your pockets!” “Get rid of your change!” The tone is martial, imposing strict respect without any objection to orders. Fares stands barefoot on the cold ground, under the stare of police officers, like an accused person appearing before the court.

Cameras are brought near to their faces and photos taken without explanation, as if their presence alone were a violation meriting investigation. Then come the questions, asked without any expectation of real answers. “Why are you wearing black today? Where are the smoke bombs? What city are you from?” This is not an interrogation, but a demonstration of force, a provocation designed to lower the morale of supporters before the game begins. Between provoked jostling and the smirk which forms on one policeman’s face, Amine glances at his friends: some bite their lips to contain their anger, others smile, refusing to give police officers the pleasure of reading exasperation on their faces. But he knows it’s not over. Once they have made it through this door, all humiliation will disappear in the stands where their voices are stronger than governmental decrees, and where each cry for freedom is a little victory won at every game.

Ultras messages under pre-game surveillance

As the game begins and before the referee blows his whistle, the stands begin to vibrate. The tifo is unfurled, chants rise up, and everyone is thrilled to see this overwhelming joy, fruit borne of long and hard work. This moment when the tifo is raised up to the sky is not only an artistic or esthetic performance, but an affirmation of resilience and unwavering collective will.

Approached by Nawaat, one of the Ultras members—who generally refuse to speak to the media or only do so with caution—evokes the complex and tense relations between Ultras groups and the police. He tells us: “The authorities are always trying to impose restrictions on these groups” through what he calls “a soft repression” which manifests in the form of a series of measures restricting freedom of expression. Everything is closely scrutinized: images, and especially the messages that these pieces carry during games. He highlights that the Interior Ministry demands prior authorization—from security services—in order for any tifo or message to be introduced into the stadium. Officially, this measure is presented as a gesture of respect for the freedom of opinion and creation. According to our interlocutor, however, in reality it is used to impose discreet or preliminary censorship, with the objective of preventing any message that could tarnish the government’s image or raise taboo questions about the way that State affairs are handled.

Leading up to game day, each Ultras group spends entire nights crafting their tifo. It is more than just artwork. Its production requires painstaking effort, involving all members as they move from painting to working with cardboard. This process is never easy, since resources are limited, time is short, and there is a constant fear of authorities banning their creation. For these young people know that, any minute, the police can come and put an end to it all, making all of their days of hard work for naught, under the pretext that their collaboration constitutes an “unauthorized gathering.” These moments require patience and endurance, since a tifo can take weeks, even months, to make, not to mention the associated costs. Ultras groups, who once enjoyed greater freedom of expression, have started to feel constricted. This is why some of them no longer take the risk, for fear of seeing their tifo rejected by authorities. This has happened to them a number of times. In this context, the “soft repression” evoked by Fares becomes a formidable weapon wielded by the government to sow a climate of stress and fear amongst Ultras groups. Indeed, many group leaders prefer to avoid messages with a political connotation or slogans carrying demands that might upset the regime. They have the impression of being in a constant battle to preserve their capacity to express themselves freely. Nevertheless, the moment when the tifo is unfurled in the stadium, the joy that arises overcomes all fear. Ultras members feel proud to have vanquished banning and censorship, as they address a clear message to the government: they will continue to defend their voice and affirm their will for self-expression, despite all the pressures endured.

In Gabes, Ultras groups set a standard for social resistance

In past years, the Ultras movement has developed considerably. It is no longer limited to neighborhoods of the capital as it once was, but stretches across regions and governorates long-forgotten by development policies. Gabes one region that has witnessed a great transformation thanks to the growing power of Ultras locally. This movement was able to establish a public presence through an unconventional approach. Carrying its actions beyond soccer stadiums, it engaged in ongoing debates around the most sensitive social and political issues, until it became an active force in defending the region’s rights, making its demands heard on the national level.

The main social issues which concern citizens in Gabes are environment and pollution. The Ultras movement in this city has distinguished itself by advocating against degradation of the environment. Central to this issue is the region’s chemical complex which is a source of serious ecological and health threats. Ultras have warned that these risks will only become more extreme if nothing is done to stop the problem. Several members of the Ultras group in Gabes indicated to Nawaat that every protest organized and message voiced is systematically followed by a campaign of repression by authorities. Also, any participation on their part in actions alongside other activists denouncing Gabes’ “poison policies” are monitored and repressed.

One member of this group tells Nawaat:

The government considers Gabes to be a testing ground for chemical products, without any regard for the health of people and their children. Today, we live in a polluted environment, without clean air to breathe or clean beaches where we can spend time. Gabes is slowly becoming a poisoned region. And if this continues, we may arrive at a point where the population is deprived of the most fundamental living conditions.

These groups launched a campaign with the slogan, “For a unified mobilization,” calling to combine their efforts and for mutual aid amongst all groups. They wish to minimize differences and internal divisions to join forces against the repression of authorities who target all groups without distinction, in all regions across the country.

At this juncture marked by the stagnation of social movements and a general disengagement from contestation and criticism targeting the government, Ultras groups are facing major challenges in affirming their presence. Having long held a place at the forefront of protest movements, they remain today one of the rare forces capable of breaking this socio-political inertia and resisting generalized resignation. Through their initiative, Ultras are searching to breathe a new dynamic into stadiums by showing that general submission to the government will only continue to erode liberties and restrict spaces of expression for “rebel” groups. They remain ever ready for confrontation, voice raised and face uncovered, to pursue their struggle against any threat to their existence or values. More than ever, they are convinced of the importance of change and active participation in society’s struggles.

Between collective memory and security surveillance: “Taalem aoum!” and “No Fan ID”

Recently, Tunisia’s Ultras movement has faced mounting pressure from the Interior Ministry. This climate of tension began in March 2018 following the death of the young Ultras member Omar Laâbidi, who died following a police chase outside the stadium. Laâbidi drowned in a muddy ravine, despite his pleas to police officers that he didn’t know how to swim, to which he received the cold reply: “Taalem aoum!” (Learn how to swim!). This crime was not a simple slip up, but the spark which ignited supporters’ outrage. It inspired the campaign bearing the symbolic slogan, “Taalem aoum!” launched in response to the death of Omar Laâbidi.

Over time, the campaign became a melting pot for the struggle for justice and against impunity. Civil society actors adopted it, calling upon authorities to render the date of young Omar’s death, March 31, a national day against impunity for police violence. Protests thus left the stadiums to fill the streets, creating unprecedented enthusiasm and high membership rates among all Ultras groups, but also among associations and unions. This initiative quickly inspired others across the country.

The Interior Ministry, through its official and unofficial spokespersons in several media outlets, has promoted the project “FAN ID” (Supporter card). This project makes access to stadiums dependent upon supporters’ possession of a specific identity card, enabling heightened police surveillance and more rigorous control of all individuals entering stadiums, especially in so-called “virages” areas (the stands behind the goals where ultras typically gather). Ultras groups see this project as a direct threat to their existence, since it hinders freedom of movement and violates the personal data of spectators. For them, the idea of “FAN ID” is yet another attempt to control crowds and restrict their movement both inside as well as outside stadiums.

And so Ultras shifted from defending an individual cause to a broader confrontation in which the issue is to defend civil liberties inside sports stadiums. Although the measure has yet to be implemented, Ultras groups have already launched a collective counter campaign under the slogan “NO FAN ID,” expressing their absolute rejection of any attempt to limit their freedom of expression inside stadiums. They have furthermore threatened to boycott stadiums next season if the government retains its project and if club leadership ever consents. They continue to warn that this measure would not only lead to exclusion of supporters from stadiums but would also constitute a new level of repression for civil liberties in general. “NO FAN ID” is not only a battle against a security measure, but the extension of a broader struggle by Ultras groups against the systematic repression plaguing the country.

While “Taalem aoum!” and past struggles marked a shift in relations between Ultras and the Interior Ministry, the “NO FAN ID” campaign signals a power struggle that is already intensifying. It reflects a growing awareness among citizens about civil rights and their constant need to contest repressive policies that bear a significant impact on daily life.

In this context, Ultras movements cannot be reduced to the actions of sports team supporters. It is time to recognize their combat as an instrument of resistance against political repression and social marginalization. Through their slogans, their chants and the audacity of their messages, these groups challenge the government’s authoritarian discourse and oppose populism which aims to absorb widespread anger without providing real solutions. In sum, Ultras are redefining the relationship between youth and the public space, showing that stadiums are not only a space for games, but real arenas where an entire society’s demands find an outlet for expression.

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