Rabat [Morocco], October 3: At least three people have died in Morocco during protests against alleged corruption and decisions in public spending, as the country braces for a sixth night of demonstrations.
Security forces opened fire on demonstrators on Wednesday, killing three people in Leqliaa, a small town outside the southern city of Agadir.
Morocco's Ministry of Interior said the three were shot and killed during an attempt to seize police weapons, though no witnesses could corroborate that. Hundreds have been injured, and the Moroccan Association for Human Rights has said that 1,000 people have been apprehended amid the protests.
Amid the escalating violence, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch on Thursday said he was open to dialogue to end the protests.
The demonstrations have been organised online by a loosely formed, anonymous youth group calling itself GenZ 212, using platforms including TikTok, Instagram and the gaming application Discord.
Through chants and posters, they have highlighted the flow of billions in investment toward preparation for the 2030 World Cup, while many schools and hospitals lack funds and remain in a dire state.
Pointing to new stadiums under construction or renovation across the country, protesters have chanted, "Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?" Morocco's Interior Ministry claimed Thursday that hundreds of cars were damaged, as well as banks, shops and public buildings in 23 of the country's provinces.
In posts on Wednesday discussing the protests, the GenZ 212 group said it rejected violence and was committed to continuing peaceful protests. It said it had no argument with security forces, only with the government.
The group announced on Thursday that further "peaceful protests will be organised today, as part of a civilised and responsible expression of our demands," urging demonstrators not to resort to violence. The group reminded protesters "to respect the peaceful nature" of the movement.
As Morocco prepares to host football's Africa Cup of Nations later this year and legislators gear up for parliamentary elections in 2026, attention has been drawn to the deep economic disparities in the country.
Peaceful protests against economic and social conditions have been recurrent in Morocco, but this week's demonstrations are the most violent since at least 2016 and 2017, when protesters clashed with security forces in the Rif region in the north.
Source: Qatar Tribune
