Free Fire

Hassen Zargouni from the polling institute “Sigma Conseil” described the youngsters who took part in the protests and riots in late 2020 and early 2021 as the Free Fire generation (referring to a children/childish mobile game), in an attempt to dwarf a whole generation living under oppression, and dismiss their needs and their demands.
It’s a beautiful coincidence that he chose the words “Free Fire” because we think it’s a perfect name for this song,
which comes as a response to his statement. We want to use the opportunity to thank Mr. Zargouni for the inspiration,
despite his mediocrity.
Znous is an angry music band residing within the remains of Tunisia’s collective consciousness.

Lyrics translation:
We said a lot of things but words are becoming useless
We protested at night in the dark and in broad daylight and you couldn’t stop us
I’m screaming loudly to be heard today, tomorrow, and forever
I’m the voice that calls out the system hiding behind the police
We are here on our own terms with no parties or organizations behind us
We came to destroy the machine that’s oppressing us with its terrorism
We came today, aware of the fact that tomorrow might be even worse
As long as our rulers are thieves and our judges are cheap to buy

“Employment, freedom, national dignity…”

“The middle finger” generation swore to rip out the roots
of those who deprived it from its rights and sold its future
This system is eating its people, inside and outside prisons
A cancer giving you guidance on how to fight the virus (covid19)
I may have lost my origins, and that’s because of you
But deep inside I still know where I am to go..
You’re still asleep, but I’m already at war, and sleep has become my foe
And whomever forgets those who died, is dead and buried before they do

Those who betrayed and sold the “green” land (1)
Fuck them all!
The president, the police, and the ministers
Fuck them all!
The regime and the oppressive system
Fuck them all!
And the cowards who killed Chokri Belaid from behind (2)
Fuck them all!

The master sheikh (3) and his dogs
Fuck them all!
The old regime and its watch dogs
Fuck them all!
The leftist parties and all their hypocrisy and impotency
Fuck them all!
And the fuckers who denied the crimes of the snipers (4)
Fuck them all!

References
(1) Tunisia is often nicknamed “Tunisia the green” locally.
(2) Chokri Belaid was a leading political figure in Tunisia, and leader of the opposition against the Islamism regime. He was assassinated in front of his house on February 6, 2013. To this day, his soul got no justice.
(3) “Master the sheikh” is how partisans and members of Ennahdha, Tunisia’s ruling Ismalist party, refer to its leader Rached Ghannouchi.
(4) A reference to the snipers who shot protesters with live ammunition during the uprising in 2010/2011, later denied by ex-prime minister Beji Kais Sebsi and those in the successive governments.