Crowds gathered outside Tunisia's interior ministry

About 6,000 people are demonstrating outside the Tunisian interior ministry demanding the resignation of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

He has already announced he will not stand for re-election in 2014 in response to a week of protests in the country.

The protesters have been complaining about rising prices and a lack of democratic freedom.

At least 23 people have been killed.

Adam Mynott says the president cannot have expected the response today.