Moroccan youth clash with security forces during nationwide anti-government protests demanding better health care and education. Image: The Financial Times.
(The Post News) – Anti-government demonstrations in Morocco hit their fourth consecutive night, with even more unrest sweeping across several cities and turning violent. Young demonstrators battled with security officers on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving at least two dead, hundreds arrested, and dozens hurt.
Demonstrations, led by Morocco’s “Gen Z” (generation of young people), began over the weekend to demand better public services, particularly in education and health. Anger escalated after billions of dollars were spent out of state coffers preparing for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, while hospitals and schools remain underfunded.
Violence Escalates Across Cities
Wednesday, officials said two people were killed in Leqliaa, just outside the port city of Agadir, when a group of knife-wielding protesters stormed into a police station and set it on fire. Security forces opened fire in “self-defense,” local officials stated. A judicial investigation has been launched.
In Oujda, the largest city in Morocco east, human rights activists said a demonstrator was hurt when a police vehicle ran into them. There was also violence in Inzegane and Ait Amira, where protesters hurled rocks and torched cars.
The Interior Ministry of Morocco reported that 409 people have been arrested so far, including minors. It stated that 263 security forces were injured and 23 civilians were hurt, as well as 160 cars being damaged. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) had confirmed dozens of arrests in Oujda alone, with many of the arrests filmed on camera and posted on social media.
Amnesty International called on authorities to act on protesters’ demands instead of resorting to repression. “We call on authorities to hear the legitimate demands of young Moroccans for social, economic, and cultural rights,” Amnesty’s regional office said.
The protesters in Morocco hold the government responsible for siphoning funds off from vital social services into huge investments in infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco is jointly hosting. New stadiums yet to be constructed are regarded as symbols of misplaced priority. Protesters have been yelling, “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”
The recent deaths of eight women at a public hospital in Agadir set off fury and served as a call to action for reform. The TikTok- and Instagram-organized, leaderless protest movement represents the face of a new generation of digitally organized activism. The networks “Gen Z 212” and “Moroccan Youth Voice” have spearheaded the calls for nationwide mass protests.
Public celebrities like Morocco’s number one goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, and rapper ElGrande Toto have made solidarity messages in favor of the protesters, taking their message to an even broader audience.
Economic Strains and Rising Discontent
Morocco’s social injustices are glaring, with 35.8% youth unemployment and 19% graduate unemployment, official figures reveal. Protesters cite corruption, a shortage of opportunities, and the deterioration of public services as among the biggest grievances.
The authorities have denied allegations that World Cup spending is coming at the expense of healthcare and education. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced parliament would convene on Thursday to discuss healthcare reforms.
Protests, the largest in years in Morocco, are a dangerous new turn after reports of deaths first emerged. Analysts warn that unless the government addresses underlying social resentment, the violence might yet escalate further.
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