State media reported that anti-government demonstrations on Wednesday against the deplorable condition of state services in Morocco became violent, with two killed and a group of demonstrators trying to “storm” a police station in the Moroccan city of Lqliaa, a coastal city called Agadi.
The group broke armed with knives into a security forces facility and lit it on fire, compelling security forces to defend themselves by using firearms, said local authorities.
Officials said a judicial investigation into the incident is underway to understand the case and the suspects responsible for the demonstration.
It is a fatal twist to the anti-government demonstrations, which were originally protesting against social justice changes.
The Interior Ministry of Morocco reported that more than 400 individuals had been detained, and almost 300 individuals have been injured in the demonstrations.
Why do young Moroccans protest?
The demonstrations started on Saturday and were caused by the demands for improved education and health care.
One of the chief criticisms is that the North African state is constructing stadiums to host the 2030 Fifa World Cup at an expense of overlooking the health and educational crises in the country.
The protests were instigated by the Moroccan Youth Voice and GenZ 212, loosely organized, anonymous youth groups, who issued the call.
The groups utilized platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and the gaming application Discord, where they issued a call to demonstrate.
They referred to the problems like “health, education, and the fight against corruption,” while professing their “love for the homeland.”
The demonstrations are in the wake of widespread dissatisfaction in the country regarding social inequalities in Morocco, which have impacted the youth and women in particular.
According to the national statistics agency, the rate of unemployment in Morocco is 12.8 percent, and among the young people, it is 35.8 percent, and 19 percent among those who have graduated.
Public anger has been inflamed by the deaths of many women in an hospital of Agadir, a big city on the central coast of Morocco, in the public hospital.
