Hundreds of Moroccans Protest for Ninth Consecutive Night

Young Moroccans once again took to the streets on Sunday, marking the ninth consecutive night of protests calling for an end to corruption and a government overhaul.

The demonstrations, organised online by the GenZ 212 collective, whose founders have remained anonymous, have swept across the normally stable North African kingdom since 27 September.

Protesters have voiced demands for reforms to social services, particularly in healthcare and education, while expressing anger over social inequality.

• Casablanca: Crowds gathered in the working-class El Fida district, chanting slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, according to live broadcasts from Moroccan media.
• Tetouan: Hundreds of demonstrators chanted similar slogans in the northern city.
• Rabat: Around 100 protesters rallied in front of the country’s parliament, shouting “the government is corrupt.”

“Reforms to the health and education sectors are primordial. We know it will take time, but we have to start somewhere,” said Imran, 20, on the sidelines of the protest in Casablanca.

The GenZ 212 collective, boasting over 180,000 members on Discord, has emphasised the nonviolent nature of its demonstrations. Since the initial protests began, the gatherings have been largely peaceful.

However, reports of violence emerged in several smaller towns following demonstrations on Wednesday.

• Lqliaa, near Agadir: Three people were killed by gendarmes, who claimed they acted in “legitimate defence” after the individuals allegedly attempted to storm a police station.

The recent rallies follow isolated protests in mid-September across several cities, sparked by reports of the deaths of eight pregnant women at the public hospital in Agadir, all of whom had been admitted for cesarean sections.

Demonstrators have seized upon these deaths as evidence of shortcomings in the public health sector, which has fuelled broader dissatisfaction over social inequalities.