Youth-led protests demanding better education and healthcare in Morocco escalated into violent clashes with security forces on Tuesday evening, marking the fourth consecutive day of demonstrations across several cities.
The protests were organised online by a loosely formed, anonymous youth group calling itself "GenZ 212," using platforms including TikTok, Instagram and the gaming application Discord.
In the southern cities of Tiznit, Inzegane, and Ait Amira, as well as the eastern city of Oujda, and Temara near the capital Rabat, hundreds of young protesters hurled stones at security forces attempting to disperse the gatherings, according to local media reports and witness accounts.
In Ait Amira, 560 km (350 miles) south of Rabat, demonstrators overturned and damaged several law enforcement vehicles and burned down a bank, footage shared by local media outlets showed.
In Inzegane, videos circulating on social media showed masked protesters setting fire to a bank, while others clashed with police who deployed water cannons.
Some cars were torched, and a group of protesters attempted to storm into a main supermarket, according to witnesses and videos shared online.
Further south in Tiznit, dozens of protesters threw stones at law enforcement officers as they tried to break up the rally, witnesses told Reuters.
Protesters briefly chanted slogans, including “The people want an end to corruption,” they said.
In Oujda, a protester suffered serious injuries after he was hit by a security forces' car, state news agency MAP reported.
In Rabat, police arrested dozens of young people as they attempted to begin chanting slogans in a densely populated neighbourhood, a Reuters witness reported.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) said 37 youths were on bail, pending an investigation.
Hakim Saikuk, head of the AMDH section in Rabat, condemned the arrests as unconstitutional.
In Casablanca, 24 protesters who blocked a highway on Sunday were under judicial investigation, according to the public prosecutor.
The government coalition issued a statement on Tuesday expressing willingness to engage in dialogue with youth "within institutions and public spaces to find realistic solutions".
It also praised what it called "the balanced reaction of security authorities in line with relevant legal procedures".
The interior ministry was not immediately available to comment on the incidents.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points afte...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, saying a second phase of the ...
At the Doha Forum, Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Hikmat Hajiyev and Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigor...
Residents in Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia, are facing rising diseases and limited medical care after cyclone-driven floods and landslides destroyed homes a...
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, u...
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, urging citizens to continue their daily activities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, saying a second phase of the U.S. president's Gaza plan was close.
Japan said on Sunday that Chinese fighter jets directed fire control radar at Japanese military aircraft in two incidents near the Okinawa islands, calling the moves dangerous. China denied the allegation.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defends follow-up strike on suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, denies authorizing the killing of all onboard, and comments on protocols for military operations.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has finalized the group stage for the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, setting the schedule and matchups for next summer’s expanded 48-team event.
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, urging citizens to continue their daily activities.
FIFA releases the 2026 World Cup schedule with match dates, venues, and key fixtures. See when host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada play and get an overview of group stage and knockout rounds.
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their shared border late on Friday, a reminder of how sensitive the frontier remains despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
China’s national security office in Hong Kong on Saturday cautioned foreign media against spreading “false information” or attempting to “smear” government efforts in responding to the city’s deadliest fire in nearly 80 years.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
Residents in Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia, are facing rising diseases and limited medical care after cyclone-driven floods and landslides destroyed homes and infrastructure.
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, urging citizens to continue their daily activities.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
Japan said on Sunday that Chinese fighter jets directed fire control radar at Japanese military aircraft in two incidents near the Okinawa islands, calling the moves dangerous. China denied the allegation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment