By Tarek Amara

TUNIS (Reuters) -Thousands took to the streets of the Tunisian coastal city of Gabes in a huge march on Wednesday, in an escalation of protests that began last week over pollution from the state Chemical Group’s (CGT) phosphate complex.

The large-scale protests heighten pressure on President Kais Saied’s government, which fears the unrest may spread to other regions of the country.

The government, already pressured by a deep financial crisis, needs to balance public health demands with the production of phosphate, Tunisia’s most valuable natural resource.

The protesters chanted slogans such as “we want to live” and “Gabes is crying out for help”.

The protesters marched towards Chatt Essalam, a coastal suburb to the north of the city, where the chemical group is located.

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