May day in Morocco: Workers demand justice in Gaza
Thousands of Moroccan workers flooded the streets of Rabat on May 1st, calling not only for improved living conditions but also protesting against the Gaza genocide and Morocco’s normalization with Israel, according to The New Arab plus agencies.
The protests condemned high costs of living, and shrinking civic space while opposing any restrictions on the right to strike. However, Pro-Palestinian chants also echoed through the streets alongside banners reading “No to normalization” and “Worker’s support resistance.”
Several party officials joined in, with the deputy secretary general of the National Union of Workers in Morocco (UNTM), Abdelilah Dahman, affirming that Morocco denounces “the systematic genocide targeting all elements of life in Gaza”. He added that his party rejects “the continuation of normalization and will remain on the path of supporting the Palestinian resistance.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Confederation of Labour (CDT) described the day as a struggle “for bread, for freedom, and for justice beyond borders”.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which signed off on the normalization, has also distanced itself from the decision after it cost them victory in the 2021 elections. They have since attempted to frame the agreement as a state decision, and now draw on the conflict in an attempt to reconnect with their voter base. At the protests, PJD members highlighted the struggle of Palestinian workers and called for “the full liberation of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”.
Since the onset of the war, Morocco’s trade unions have been some of its most vocal critics. In April port workers’ unions called for a boycott of two Maersk ships carrying F-35 components that were allegedly for Israel, delaying the ship’s passage. Now, the North Africa Center for Studies and Public Policy warns that labor relations within the kingdom are reaching a flashpoint, harkening back to the Casablanca bread riots and the February 20th movement in 2011.
Despite being heavily policed, the protest was peaceful and continued through the boulevards of Rabat for hours to the beat of drums and chants calling for extended freedoms across borders.
The New Arab plus Agencies, Maghrebi
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