MONTREAL - Dozens of Tunisians, many of them students, gathered late Thursday before their country's consulate in Montreal to call for President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's ouster amid growing unrest at home.

Braving snow and frigid temperatures, the demonstrators unfurled banners and Tunisian flags.

"Ben Ali, it's over, Tunisians all together," they chanted. "Stop the carnage, get out of Carthage," others yelled in reference to the presidential palace. "Freedom of expression, stop the repression."

The protest was organized by a Tunisian social justice group formed by activist citizens from various political beliefs, co-ordinator Sonia Djelidi told AFP.

Another 40-some people held another protest meanwhile in Quebec in front of the Radio-Canada building.

Earlier in Tunisia, thousands of lawyers in Tunisia went on strike Thursday, a week after a police crackdown on protests they staged in support of protesters against unemployment in the tightly controlled country.

Trade unionists said strikes, protests, even attempted suicides also took place in other parts of the country.

The strikes came amid growing unrest following the death of a jobless 26-year-old university graduate who set himself alight last month in the central town of Sidi Bouzid to protest his lack of opportunities.

In a related development, police arrested a rapper and two bloggers, their families and friends announced, but could not say why or where they were being detained.