Morocco Youth Protests Turn Violent, Leaving Two Dead
Violent clashes erupt as Moroccan youth demand better services.
Violent anti-government protests led by Morocco’s youth have escalated, with two fatalities reported in Leqliaa, a southern town 500 kilometers from Rabat, on Wednesday night. Police fired on demonstrators, claiming self-defense, as tensions over crumbling public services and alleged corruption boiled over.
The “Gen Z 212” movement, organized largely by tech-savvy teens on platforms like TikTok and Discord, has sparked Morocco’s largest protests in years. Demonstrators are enraged by the government’s heavy investment in 2030 World Cup preparations while schools and hospitals remain underfunded. In Sale, near Rabat, masked youths torched cars, banks, and shops, with no police presence reported.
The unrest, now in its fifth night, has spread to cities like Oujda, Inzegane, and Ait Amira, where protesters have hurled rocks and set vehicles ablaze. Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported 409 arrests, 263 injured police officers, and 23 civilian injuries, with 142 police vehicles and 20 private cars damaged. The ministry insists the protests, lacking permits, are being handled “rigorously” under the law.
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In Oujda, a police vehicle injured a protester, and 37 arrests, including six minors, were made. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) estimates over 1,000 detentions nationwide, some involving plainclothes officers apprehending protesters during live broadcasts. Amnesty International has urged authorities to address the youth’s demands for better healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
The protests highlight stark regional disparities, with chants like “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?” reflecting frustration over misplaced priorities. The recent deaths of eight women in an Agadir hospital have further fueled outrage. As Morocco prepares for the Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 elections, the government denies neglecting public services, blaming past administrations. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch will lead a parliamentary meeting on Thursday to discuss healthcare reforms.
Support for the movement has grown online, with endorsements from figures like goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and rapper El Grande Toto. Despite calls for peace from organizers, the protests show no signs of slowing, as Morocco’s youth channel their discontent into a powerful cry for change.
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