by Farouk Chothia via BBC
At least two people have been killed in Morocco after police opened fire to prevent protesters from storming a police station in Lqliaa, near the coastal city of Agadir, state media says.
These are the first deaths reported since huge youth-led protests broke out across Morocco on Saturday as anger grew over the government's decision to build football stadiums for the 2030 Fifa World Cup rather than improving public services and tackling the economic crisis.
"Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?" is a popular chant among the Gen Z protesters.
One demonstrator told BBC Newsday that the hospital in his city, Oujda, on the border with Algeria, was like a "jail".
It was dirty, and patients had to bribe security officers and nurses to see a doctor, said the protester, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he feared reprisals.
The protests have been happening at night, with police saying they were forced to open fire "in legitimate self-defence" on Wednesday evening to repel the "attack" in Lqliaa, the state-owned news agency reported.
Earlier on Wednesday, the interior ministry said the right of people to protest within the law would be upheld.
Organisers of the youth-led protest movement known as GenZ 212 - the number referring to Morocco's international dialling code - have distanced themselves from the violence. They have been rallying mainly through social media, and do not have a formal leadership structure.
Official statistics show that Morocco's unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment soaring to 35.8% and 19% among graduates, news agency Reuters reports.
Protests have also hit the capital, Rabat, the main commercial city, Casablanca, and the port city of Tangier - the arrival point for tourists going to Morocco by ferry from Spain.
Morocco's tourist hub, Marrakesh, was also hit by violence, with protesters burning a police station, according to local media.
Interior ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi said that 409 people have been detained across Morocco following the unrest.
More than 260 police officers and 20 protesters have been injured, while 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars have been torched, he was quoted as saying.
The uprising follows similar youth-led, large scale demonstrations this summer in Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines and Madagascar.
The uprising in Nepal led to the prime minister resigning, while Madagascar's president dissolved his government on Monday in an attempt to placate the protesters there.
Morocco's governing coalition issued a statement on Tuesday expressing willingness to engage in dialogue with the youth "within institutions and public spaces to find realistic solutions".
It also praised what it called "the balanced reaction of security authorities in line with relevant legal procedures".
Source: Archive:
by Jihane Rahhou via Barlaman Today
The youth-led GenZ212 movement has issued a new call for demonstrations across Morocco on Friday, urging participants to dress in black as a sign of mourning for those killed or injured in recent clashes.
According to a poster shared online, rallies are planned in more than a dozen cities, including Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir, Oujda, Fes, and Meknes. The gatherings are scheduled to take place from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in symbolic public spaces such as parliament squares, university campuses, and central stations.
The movement said the action is meant to show solidarity with victims of the week’s unrest.
Earlier today, the movement released a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, containing a list of their demands. On the same day, the movement announced that they had hired a team of lawyers to prepare a final draft of their demands.
Source: Archive:
via APA News in Algiers
Algeria may be on the verge of renewed season of protests, as unresolved tensions from the 2019 Hirak movement resurface.
Under the banner “GenZ213,” young Algerians are calling for street demonstrations on Friday, October 3, to protest a worsening political and socio-economic situation.
Viral social media posts indicate the movement aims to rekindle the spirit of the 2019 Hirak, which had toppled former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Political analyst Oualid Kebir notes that peaceful marches are planned after Friday prayers in several provinces to voice popular rejection of corruption, economic stagnation, and the political monopoly of the ruling elite.
Algeria faces alarming economic challenges: youth unemployment exceeds 30%, inflation and rising living costs erode purchasing power, and no credible political reforms have been implemented.
Relying on a declining oil and gas rent, the regime has left the younger generation, often described as “sacrificed,” increasingly determined to take up the mantle of protest.
The resurgence occurs amid state media criticism of Morocco’s handling of recent youth demonstrations over health and education shortcomings—a striking contrast to domestic unrest. Calls to march toward El-Mouradia, the presidential palace, carry symbolic weight.
Observers question whether Generation Z can overcome the regime’s longstanding repression of dissent.
The shadow of the 2019 Hirak looms once again over Algiers and other major cities. For many, this is less an isolated surge than a signal that Algerian society, trapped in political stagnation, may once more erupt, even as the regime positions itself as a “geopolitical voice” internationally.
Source: Archive:
At least two people have been killed in Morocco after police opened fire to prevent protesters from storming a police station in Lqliaa, near the coastal city of Agadir, state media says.
These are the first deaths reported since huge youth-led protests broke out across Morocco on Saturday as anger grew over the government's decision to build football stadiums for the 2030 Fifa World Cup rather than improving public services and tackling the economic crisis.
"Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?" is a popular chant among the Gen Z protesters.
One demonstrator told BBC Newsday that the hospital in his city, Oujda, on the border with Algeria, was like a "jail".
It was dirty, and patients had to bribe security officers and nurses to see a doctor, said the protester, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he feared reprisals.
The protests have been happening at night, with police saying they were forced to open fire "in legitimate self-defence" on Wednesday evening to repel the "attack" in Lqliaa, the state-owned news agency reported.
Earlier on Wednesday, the interior ministry said the right of people to protest within the law would be upheld.
Organisers of the youth-led protest movement known as GenZ 212 - the number referring to Morocco's international dialling code - have distanced themselves from the violence. They have been rallying mainly through social media, and do not have a formal leadership structure.
Official statistics show that Morocco's unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment soaring to 35.8% and 19% among graduates, news agency Reuters reports.
Protests have also hit the capital, Rabat, the main commercial city, Casablanca, and the port city of Tangier - the arrival point for tourists going to Morocco by ferry from Spain.
Morocco's tourist hub, Marrakesh, was also hit by violence, with protesters burning a police station, according to local media.
Interior ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi said that 409 people have been detained across Morocco following the unrest.
More than 260 police officers and 20 protesters have been injured, while 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars have been torched, he was quoted as saying.
The uprising follows similar youth-led, large scale demonstrations this summer in Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines and Madagascar.
The uprising in Nepal led to the prime minister resigning, while Madagascar's president dissolved his government on Monday in an attempt to placate the protesters there.
Morocco's governing coalition issued a statement on Tuesday expressing willingness to engage in dialogue with the youth "within institutions and public spaces to find realistic solutions".
It also praised what it called "the balanced reaction of security authorities in line with relevant legal procedures".
Source: Archive:
by Jihane Rahhou via Barlaman Today
The youth-led GenZ212 movement has issued a new call for demonstrations across Morocco on Friday, urging participants to dress in black as a sign of mourning for those killed or injured in recent clashes.
According to a poster shared online, rallies are planned in more than a dozen cities, including Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir, Oujda, Fes, and Meknes. The gatherings are scheduled to take place from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in symbolic public spaces such as parliament squares, university campuses, and central stations.
The movement said the action is meant to show solidarity with victims of the week’s unrest.
Earlier today, the movement released a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, containing a list of their demands. On the same day, the movement announced that they had hired a team of lawyers to prepare a final draft of their demands.
Source: Archive:
via APA News in Algiers
Algeria may be on the verge of renewed season of protests, as unresolved tensions from the 2019 Hirak movement resurface.
Under the banner “GenZ213,” young Algerians are calling for street demonstrations on Friday, October 3, to protest a worsening political and socio-economic situation.
Viral social media posts indicate the movement aims to rekindle the spirit of the 2019 Hirak, which had toppled former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Political analyst Oualid Kebir notes that peaceful marches are planned after Friday prayers in several provinces to voice popular rejection of corruption, economic stagnation, and the political monopoly of the ruling elite.
Algeria faces alarming economic challenges: youth unemployment exceeds 30%, inflation and rising living costs erode purchasing power, and no credible political reforms have been implemented.
Relying on a declining oil and gas rent, the regime has left the younger generation, often described as “sacrificed,” increasingly determined to take up the mantle of protest.
The resurgence occurs amid state media criticism of Morocco’s handling of recent youth demonstrations over health and education shortcomings—a striking contrast to domestic unrest. Calls to march toward El-Mouradia, the presidential palace, carry symbolic weight.
Observers question whether Generation Z can overcome the regime’s longstanding repression of dissent.
The shadow of the 2019 Hirak looms once again over Algiers and other major cities. For many, this is less an isolated surge than a signal that Algerian society, trapped in political stagnation, may once more erupt, even as the regime positions itself as a “geopolitical voice” internationally.
Source: Archive:
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