Violent Clashes Erupt in Morocco After Days of Protests

Violent clashes broke out in several Moroccan cities late on Tuesday, as youths confronted security forces following days of protests demanding reforms in the public health and education sectors, local media reported.

Videos published by news outlets — which AFP could not independently verify — showed masked demonstrators in Inezgane, near Agadir, throwing stones at police, setting fires near a shopping centre, and damaging a local post office.

Similar unrest was reported in Ait Amira, Beni Mellal, and Oujda in the northeast. It remains unclear whether any injuries were sustained during these clashes.

The demonstrations were initiated by a youth-led collective known as “GenZ 212”, whose founders remain anonymous.

In a statement posted on Facebook late Tuesday, the group expressed “regret over acts of rioting or vandalism that affected public or private property”.

It also urged participants to remain strictly peaceful and avoid any behaviour that could “undermine the legitimacy of our just demands.”

The clashes marked the fourth consecutive day of protests, though no violence had been reported prior to Tuesday.

Moroccan prosecutors have announced that 37 individuals will face trial for participating in the protests, according to lawyer Souad Brahma.

• 34 individuals will be prosecuted while on bail, with their trial scheduled for 7 October.
• Three others will face prosecution in detention.
• The exact charges against the defendants have not yet been specified.

Over the past three days, more than 200 mainly young demonstrators were arrested in Rabat during gatherings dispersed by police, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) reported. Most were later released.

In Casablanca, the public prosecutor requested on Tuesday to investigate 18 individuals for allegedly obstructing traffic during a weekend protest. Six minors have been referred to a specialised court, according to the Moroccan news agency MAP.

Morocco’s governing coalition, composed of centre-right and liberal parties, stated in a Tuesday release that it “listens to and understands the social demands” of the young people and is “ready to respond positively and responsibly.”

GenZ 212 had called for protests days earlier on the platform Discord, citing issues such as:

• Health
• Education
• Fight against corruption

The group emphasised its “love for the homeland.”

The protests come amid widespread public discontent over social inequalities, particularly affecting young people and women.

Recent reports of the deaths of eight pregnant women at a public hospital in Agadir have further inflamed public outrage.