NN ONLINE:
Two people were killed after officers fired on a crowd trying to storm a police station in Morocco on Wednesday, state media reported, as protests—some of them violent—continue to shake the North African country.
Over several days, demonstrations have rocked Morocco, driven in part by GenZ 212, a newly formed collective that organizes on Discord and keeps its leadership anonymous. Morocco’s interior ministry said more than 400 people have been arrested and nearly 300 injured during the rallies, which demand reforms to health and education sectors.
Later that evening, a group attempted to storm a police station in Lqliaa, near the coastal city of Agadir, according to the government-owned MAP news agency, citing local officials. Officials said police were forced to use their weapons in what they described as legitimate self-defense to repel an attack aimed at seizing ammunition, equipment, and service weapons. MAP reported that the attackers returned, this time armed with bladed weapons. The officials confirmed that two people died from gunshot wounds during the assault, and others were injured while taking part in the attack. A judicial inquiry into the incident has been opened, MAP added.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in several Moroccan cities on Wednesday, including Casablanca, Tangier, and Tetouan. For the first time since the unrest began on Saturday, the protests enjoyed some official authorization.
Demonstrators have called for an end to corruption, along with demands for freedom, dignity, and social justice. Some protesters even urged Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign. While many protests have been peaceful, others have turned confrontational.
A Footage from Sale, near Rabat, showed hooded individuals setting fire to police cars and a bank branch. Local media reported vandalism in Sidi Bibi near Agadir and in smaller towns identified by GenZ 212 as protest sites.
Clashes intensified on Tuesday in cities such as Oujda and Inzegane, with protesters using knives, Molotov cocktails, and stones. The ministry said 263 police officers were injured, along with 23 protesters, including one hospitalized in Oujda. Some 409 people were detained amid the unrest, during which more than 140 police vehicles and 20 private cars were set ablaze. Protesters also stormed government offices, banks, and shops, causing looting and damage, particularly in Inzegane and Oujda.
Footage captured tense, hours-long confrontations along a main avenue in Inzegane. In Rabat, prosecutors announced that a group of 97 people, including three in detention, would face trial, according to lawyer Souad Brahma. Another 26 individuals were released without charges. Prosecutors had already indicated that an initial batch of 37 people, including three in detention, would stand trial on Tuesday.
GenZ 212, which has said it regrets Tuesday’s violence, describes itself as a “discussion space” for issues affecting all citizens, including health, education, and anti-corruption efforts. Despite broader social unrest, Morocco continues to grapple with deep-seated inequalities and a stark divide between the public and private sectors.
