Police kill two as Morocco’s youth-led protests escalate

Two people have been shot dead by police in Morocco as nationwide protests over poor public services intensify, marking the first fatalities since the unrest began last weekend.

Authorities said the deaths occurred in the southern town of Leqliaa, near Agadir, when officers opened fire to stop protesters attempting to storm a police station. State news agency MAP reported that the individuals were “troublemakers” trying to seize weapons, and that police acted in self-defence. No eyewitnesses have confirmed that version of events.

The protests, led largely by young people, erupted on Saturday amid frustration over unemployment, corruption, and the government’s decision to prioritise spending on stadiums for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup instead of schools and hospitals. The leaderless “Gen Z 212” movement, named after Morocco’s dialling code, has mobilised through social media platforms such as Discord.

Demonstrators have filled streets in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakesh and other cities, chanting slogans including “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”. In several cities, unrest has turned violent, with cars torched, police stations attacked and shops looted.

According to the Interior Ministry, 409 people have been detained since Saturday, while 263 police officers and 23 civilians have been injured. More than 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars were damaged.

In Sale, near Rabat, masked teenagers set cars ablaze, while protests also spread to eastern towns such as Oujda, where residents complain of corruption in local hospitals. One protester told the BBC that bribes were required to access treatment, describing his hospital as “like a jail”.

Organisers of Gen Z 212 have distanced themselves from the violence, urging demonstrators to remain peaceful and denouncing “repressive security approaches”. Despite the clashes, the Interior Ministry reiterated that the right to protest “within the law” would be respected, but warned of strict enforcement against disorder.

Morocco’s governing coalition has expressed willingness to open dialogue with youth, pledging to seek “realistic solutions” through public institutions. Officials have also praised what they described as a “balanced reaction” by security forces.

The movement mirrors youth-led uprisings seen in Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines and Madagascar earlier this year. In some cases, such unrest has led to governments falling, with Madagascar’s president dissolving his cabinet this week.

Morocco faces high unemployment rates, with joblessness at 12.8% nationally, rising to 35.8% among youth and nearly 19% among university graduates, according to official figures.

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