Two people were killed and several others injured in Lqliaa, near Agadir, when security forces used firearms to repel a group of protesters attempting to seize weapons from a gendarmerie facility on Wednesday night, local authorities said.
The deaths mark the first fatalities in a fast-spreading wave of youth-led demonstrations demanding social justice reforms.
The protests began on Saturday over poor education and healthcare services and have since escalated into Morocco’s most violent unrest since the 2016–2017 Rif demonstrations.
They are being organized online by an anonymous youth group calling itself “GenZ 212,” which has mobilized tens of thousands through TikTok, Instagram, and Discord.
Membership in the group’s Discord server surged from 3,000 last week to over 130,000 as the protests intensified.
Authorities said firearms were used in self-defense after tear gas failed to stop protesters armed with knives who stormed the security facility, setting parts of it and a vehicle ablaze.
On Tuesday night, nationwide clashes left 263 security officers and 23 civilians injured, according to the Interior Ministry. Reuters images showed security forces hauling demonstrators into vans as protests turned violent in multiple cities.
By Wednesday evening, unrest had spread to Salé, near the capital Rabat, where witnesses reported looting, bank fires, and police vehicles torched.
In Tangier, youths hurled stones at police, while in Sidi Bibi masked demonstrators burned the commune headquarters and blocked roads. In Biougra, a bank was ransacked and shops damaged.
Marrakech also witnessed violent clashes, with protesters setting a police station on fire, according to local media.
Despite the violence, several cities saw peaceful rallies. In Casablanca, Oujda, and Taza, demonstrators demanded Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch’s resignation and denounced corruption.
Morocco faces deep economic challenges, with overall unemployment at 12.8% and youth joblessness soaring to 35.8%. Frustration has been building, particularly among graduates, who face a 19% unemployment rate, according to official data.
The Interior Ministry pledged to uphold the right to protest within legal limits and stressed restraint in its response.
Meanwhile, prosecutors confirmed that 409 people had been detained during the unrest, with 193 set to face trial, most on bail, on charges including arson, looting, and attacks on security forces.
The “GenZ 212” movement, inspired by global youth-led protests, reiterated on social media that it rejects violence and seeks peaceful mobilization, insisting its dispute is with the government, not the security forces.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
