Perhaps I am venturing into controversial theological territory with the above heading, but I’ll be damned if d’Artocratie can be held as worthy of censure.

Which is exactly what has happened: as a wonderfully creative initiative flourishes, so too comes forth the belligerent trolls to quash it – and its founders:

Tunisia – On the pretext that the photos are unIslamic, violence hits the artists behind d’Artocratie

A group of people attacked the artists involved in d’Artocratie on Monday, March 21, 2011,  who were putting up giant pictures in black and white representing the diversity of Tunisia on the front of the cell RCD Kram, according to Abdelhafidh Smaâli, president of the Association of Economic, Social and Cultural City Kram.

According to the attackers, the cause of this attack is that  the Muslim religion prohibits images and representations. The attackers also threatened to take off the photographs and prevent all cultural activities in the future.

Photographs pasted on the wall of the Karaka of La Goulette have since been torn off. [Translate from French; original here.]

Akin to the incident regarding the harassment of the Jewish community and vandalism to the synagogues, a blend of freedom and extreme conservatism is emerging from the power vacuum.

Both positive and negative elements were stifled under Ben Ali and in his absence both are re-emerging.

Some, such as d’Artocratie, are cheering; others – fundamentalists – are dispiriting.

It sets new battle lines for the future, a crossroads, if you will.

Either Tunisia will follow the liberal route and become a joyous state of culture, creativity and expression, or an Algeria of the 1980s and 1990s.

Let us hope it will be the former, with tolerance for all.