Police clashes with anti-government youth protesters in Morocco

According to the AP, Morocco saw some of its largest anti-government protests in years from September 27th to September 28th. The demonstrations took place in at least 11 cities and were mainly led by peaceful Moroccan youth who denounced the government’s misplaced priorities. The protesters later clashed with police forces as they asserted their right to express their disapproval with the North African country’s recent spending that undermined the finances of the national health and education systems.

Morocco is currently constructing infrastructure to host part of the FIFA World Cup games in 2030, as it will co-host with Portugal and Spain. The monarch’s government is building three new stadiums while renovating a dozen others to be ready for both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, which they will host later this year.

The demonstrators were also denouncing the corruption present in the country and the irresponsible investments made by the government for the upcoming international sporting events. The slogan resonating during the peaceful marches created a direct link between the government’s spending on the sports infrastructure and the clear under-investment in its struggling health care system, shouting, “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”

Past protests also took place in December 2022 to denounce the country’s corruption and unlawful arrests, which proves corruption seems to be a long-lasting and disturbing issue for Moroccans.

Police in plainclothes and riot gear disrupted protests in several cities, including Rabat and Marrakech, and arrested demonstrators, including in Casablanca. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights confirmed that dozens were arrested on September 27th, some of whom were physically injured by the Moroccan police. The association also stated that this was an evident “crackdown on free voices and restriction of the right to freedom of expression”.

In March, a Moroccan court increased the sentence of a citizen who criticised the government’s management of the earthquake aftermath which happened in December 2023. Similarly, a Moroccan pro-Palestine activist was given a 5-year sentence after he criticised the country’s ties with Israel, saying that they were criminal, and it was shameful for the kingdom to remain silent as Palestinians are suffering under Israel’s occupation. Providing evidence that this has become a pattern in the country.

“Protesting is the only way to win our rights,” one demonstrator told an elderly man who tried to dissuade him, warning he could be arrested.

The youth demonstrations were different from the previous marches led by unions or political parties. These weekend protests were not only a leaderless movement, but they were also entirely publicised on social media platforms popular among young people, such as TikTok and Discord. Although some were calling for more violent approaches, “Gen Z 212” and “Morocco Youth Voices” are two of the groups who pressed for the protests to remain peaceful and civilised.

These aren’t the first anti-government protests this year, as in February, unions gathered together to stage historic demonstrations to show their strong disapproval for legislation that would completely annihilate their right to strike. The laws eventually passed, and while the government was proud that this would create a better environment for international investors and organisations, the National Labour Union argued that they had gone too far, stripping any effectiveness from future strike actions.

The North African country was also in the news regarding its FIFA preparations after it was uncovered that 3 million stray dogs would be killed to clean up the country’s streets before 2030. This sparked international outrage that led the government to reassure FIFA that the slaughter methods were not used anymore, although animal protection organisations still doubt this is the case.

AP, Maghrebi.org