Youth-led protests have been ongoing in Morocco for over 10 days.
The protests began on September 27 with rallies organized online by the anonymous GenZ 212 collective, spreading rapidly across cities nationwide.
Protesters are demanding reforms in social services, particularly in health and education.
Youth-led protests have been ongoing in Morocco for over 10 days. Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets, calling for an end to corruption and a change of government. The protests have highlighted deep-rooted frustration over poverty and inadequate public services, sharply contrasting with the country’s narrative of progress, marked by ambitious infrastructure projects and new stadiums ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup.
The protests began on September 27 with rallies organized online by the anonymous GenZ 212 collective, spreading rapidly across cities nationwide. So far, three people have been shot dead, and 400 have been arrested. What started as demonstrations in major cities, inspired by similar uprisings in Nepal, Madagascar, and Peru, quickly escalated into riots in rural towns and remote regions.
Protesters are demanding reforms in social services, particularly in health and education, while voicing frustration over social inequality. GenZ 212, which has more than 180,000 members on Discord, emphasises the non-violent nature of its largely peaceful protests, according to AFP. Their membership has grown exponentially within just a week. The group has mobilised protesters online through platforms such as Discord, TikTok, and Instagram.
Despite Morocco’s reported development and prosperity, protesters argue that wealth has not been distributed evenly.
A slogan reading, “We do not want the World Cup. Health first,” was displayed at a hospital in the southern coastal town of Agadir last month after eight women died there in childbirth, Reuters reported. Protesters cite these deaths as evidence of the public health sector’s failings, fueling wider discontent over social inequality.
Initially suppressive, the government has since adopted a more conciliatory tone. Employment Minister Younes Sekkouri acknowledged the “sincerity” of the protesters’ demands, while Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch—whose resignation many protesters have called for—stated that dialogue is the only path forward.
