Youth-led protests in Morocco have entered their fourth consecutive day, with demonstrations turning violent as clashes erupted between protesters and security forces in several cities. The protests, which began as demands for improved healthcare and education, have spread to multiple locations, including the southern towns of Inzegane, Ait Amira, and Tiznit, as well as the eastern city of Oujda and Temara near the capital Rabat.
Witnesses and local media reported incidents of stone-throwing, burning cars, and attacks on police vehicles. Footage shared by local outlets showed masked protesters setting fire to a bank in Inzegane and torching cars. In Ait Amira, demonstrators overturned police vehicles and burned down a bank. Dozens of youths hurled stones at officers in Tiznit, while a protester in Oujda was seriously injured after being hit by a security forces’ car.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) reported that 37 youths were released on bail pending an investigation, with over 200 mostly young demonstrators arrested in Rabat in recent days. Hakim Sikouk, head of AMDH’s Rabat branch, condemned the arrests as unconstitutional. In Casablanca, 24 protesters who blocked a highway on Sunday were placed under judicial investigation.
The protests were organized online by a loosely formed youth group called GenZ 212, which has expressed regret over acts of rioting or vandalism and urged participants to remain peaceful. The movement has grown out of frustration over poor public services and social inequality, with protesters criticizing the government for spending on stadiums for the 2030 Fifa World Cup while hospitals and schools struggle.
Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8 percent, with youth unemployment at 35.8 percent and 19 percent among university graduates. Public anger has deepened following reports of eight pregnant women dying at a public hospital in Agadir, which rights groups say has become a symbol of the country’s underfunded health services.
Prosecutors have charged 37 protesters with trials due to start on October 7, while three others remain in detention. Morocco’s governing coalition has stated that it is “ready to respond positively and responsibly” to the demands of young protesters, praising the security authorities’ reaction as “balanced” and in line with legal procedures. The GenZ 212 group has vowed to continue pushing for health and education reforms, as well as action against corruption, while maintaining its “love for the homeland”.
