Youth-led demonstrators in Morocco took to the streets on Thursday for a sixth straight night despite fears of more violence after police killed three people the night before. The protesters in at least a dozen cities, including Casablanca, demanded better schools and hospitals, with some calling for Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign.
The call for resignation came after police killed three people on Wednesday as largely peaceful protests turned into riots, with banks looted and cars set ablaze.
Though Morocco’s king is the country’s highest authority, protests in Morocco routinely focus on the government charged with carrying out his agenda. On Thursday, hundreds chanted for King Mohammed VI to intervene against the government. Crowds shouted “The people want to topple Akhannouch” and “Government out!” as demonstrations unfolded peacefully.
In his first public remarks, Akhannouch said earlier on Thursday that he was mourning Wednesday’s deaths. He praised law enforcement for its efforts to maintain order and indicated that the government was prepared to respond favourably to the protesters, without detailing reforms under discussion.
“The approach based on dialogue is the only way to deal with the various problems faced by our country,” Akhannouch said.
ESCALATING TENSIONS
The pledge for new efforts to address the protests came a day after authorities said armed rioters had stormed public buildings and the youth-led anti-government demonstrations showed few signs of abating.
Security forces opened fire at demonstrators on Wednesday, killing three people in Leqliaa, a small town outside the coastal city of Agadir. Morocco’s Interior Ministry said the three were shot and killed during an attempt to seize police weapons, though no witnesses could corroborate the report.
The ministry said 354 people — mostly law enforcement — had sustained injuries. It said hundreds of cars were damaged, as well as banks, shops and public buildings in 23 of the country’s provinces. Throughout the country, roughly 70% of the demonstrators were minors, according to ministry estimates.
The demonstrations, organised by a leaderless movement known as Gen Z 212 dominated by internet-savvy youth, have taken the country by surprise and emerged as some of Morocco’s biggest in years. By midweek, they appeared to be spreading to new locations despite a lack of permits from authorities.
FRUSTRATIONS SIMMER
Those taking part in the so-called Gen Z protests decry what they see as widespread corruption at everyday people’s expense. Through chants and posters, they have contrasted 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.
“Health care first, we don’t want the World Cup,” has emerged as among the week’s most popular refrains on the street.
Pointing to new stadiums under construction or renovation across the country, protesters have chanted, “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”
The recent deaths of eight women in public hospital in Agadir have become a rallying cry against the decline of Morocco’s health system.
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