Topless activist defaces mosque

The young woman who scandalised Tunisia by posting topless photos of herself as a form of feminist protest was saved from being assaulted on Saturday by the Tunisian police. Amina Tyler, who is a member of the radical Ukrainian feminist organisation, Femen vandalised a wall of the revered Okba Ibn Nafaa mosque. Tyler graffitied the word ‘Femen’ on the religious building, sparking protests from Tunisians in Kairouan city, where the mosque is located. The defaced cemetery wall of Okba Ibn Nafae Mosque is considered one of the most sacred religious civilised symbols. Tyler told Arabstoday that she travelled to the city to confront the radical islamist group, Ansar al Sharia Salafist and stop them from spreading their ideology throughout the country. The group were scheduled to hold their third annual conference in the city of Kairouan, but were banned by the government who feared an outbreak of violence. Tyler asserted that she was not afraid of what the group and its supporters would do to her. She referred to the islamist group as “a time bomb that threatens Tunisia,” adding that she would continue to post photographs of her bare breasts on the internet despite receiving death threats. The feminist had previously told of how she had been beaten and drugged by her family after posting the images with the words “F*** your morals” written across her chest to the Femen-Tunisia Facebook page.  She has since been banished by her family as has taken on the name Amina Femen to distance herself from them further. Many Tunisian women have spoken out against the topless feminist, asserting that she does not represent them. The women do not understand the link between nudity and fighting for their human rights. Tunisian psychologists have referred to the activist as an irresponsible youth, whose actions will soon be forgotten by Tunisian society.