Written by Faith Mwende
Hundreds of mostly young demonstrators gathered in several Moroccan towns and cities this week, including Inzegane, Ait Amira, Tiznit, Oujda in the east, and Temara near Rabat, as frustrations over inequality and poor services boiled over.
Witnesses and local media reported clashes marked by stone-throwing, car burnings and attacks on police vehicles.
Footage shared by local outlets showed masked protesters setting fire to a bank and cars in Inzegane, while in Ait Amira demonstrators overturned police vehicles and burned another bank. In Tiznit, witnesses said dozens of youths hurled stones at officers who tried to break up the rally.
According to state news agency MAP, a protester in Oujda was seriously injured after being struck by a security forces’ vehicle. In Rabat, a Reuters witness reported that police arrested dozens of young people as they tried to chant slogans in a densely populated neighbourhood.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) said 37 youths were released on bail pending investigation, adding that more than 200 demonstrators had been arrested in Rabat in recent days, though most were later freed.
Hakim Sikouk, head of AMDH’s Rabat branch, condemned the arrests as unconstitutional.
In Casablanca, 24 protesters accused of blocking a highway were placed under judicial investigation, according to prosecutors. Najat Anouar, president of a child protection association, was also briefly detained. “I came here to investigate allegations that the under-age have been arrested and got arrested myself,” she told Reuters.
The protests have been organised online by a loosely formed youth group called GenZ 212, which uses TikTok, Instagram and Discord. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the group expressed “regret over acts of rioting or vandalism that affected public or private property” and urged participants to remain peaceful.
The movement reflects growing frustration over weak public services and inequality, with many criticising government spending on stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup while hospitals and schools face neglect. Over the weekend, protesters chanted: “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?” One protester in Rabat, a 25-year-old named Brahim, told Reuters: “We want a better health system and accountability,” before fleeing as police moved in.
Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8 percent, with youth unemployment at 35.8 percent and 19 percent among university graduates, according to official figures. Anger has been further fuelled by reports that eight pregnant women recently died at a public hospital in Agadir, a case rights groups say highlights the country’s underfunded health system.
“The arrests confirm the crackdown on free voices and restriction of the right to freedom of expression,” AMDH said in a statement.
Lawyer Souad Brahma told AFP that 37 protesters have been charged, with trials due to begin on 7 October. Three remain in detention. In Casablanca, prosecutors are investigating 18 people accused of obstructing traffic during weekend protests, MAP reported, with six minors referred to a specialised court.
Morocco’s governing coalition said it was “ready to respond positively and responsibly” to the demands of young protesters, praising what it described as “the balanced reaction of security authorities in line with relevant legal procedures.” The interior ministry has not commented publicly on the unrest.
GenZ 212 has pledged to continue pressing for reforms in health, education and anti-corruption measures while affirming its “love for the homeland.”
Source: Reuters, AFP, MAP
