Overnight on 19-20 January 2021, violent protests occurred throughout Tunisia for a fifth consecutive day, including in the capital Tunis, where approximately 250 protesters gathered on Bourguigba Avenue in the city center. Security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators during a protest in the city of Sidi Bouzid, the town where the 2010 Arab Spring began. Clashes between protesters and security forces also occurred in the Ettadamen, el-Tadamen and Sijoumi neighborhoods in Tunis. Labor unions and other rights groups have announced their support for peaceful protests against the government. The protest activity has continued even as the four-day lockdown from 15 January concluded; the COVID-19 restrictions, along with ongoing economic hardships, have sparked the demonstrations.