Protesters led by youth clash with police in Morocco

Protesters led by young people clashed with police and blocked highways over the weekend during some of the biggest anti-government demonstrations Morocco has seen in years, denouncing what they called the government’s misplaced priorities.

Hundreds of young Moroccans took to the streets in at least 11 cities across the North African country, denouncing corruption and criticising the government for pouring money into international sporting events while neglecting health and education.

They drew a direct link between the country’s failing health system and its investments ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, chanting slogans such as, “The stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”

Morocco is building at least three new stadiums and renovating or expanding about half a dozen others as it prepares to co-host the tournament. It will also host the Africa Cup of Nations later this year.

Plainclothes and riot police dispersed demonstrations in several cities, including Rabat and Marrakesh, and arrested protesters, notably in Casablanca, according to an Associated Press journalist.

Videos published by local media show plainclothes officers arresting demonstrators while they were giving interviews to the press.

For at least a decade, protests in Morocco have often focused on regional inequalities and the government’s priorities in Rabat. This weekend’s nationwide gatherings crystallized the anger seen earlier this year during isolated incidents across Morocco, particularly in regions still reeling from the deadly 2023 earthquake. Unrest has recently intensified after the deaths of eight women during childbirth in a public hospital in Agadir, a major coastal city 483 kilometers south of Rabat.

A Leaderless Movement Driven by Gen Z

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights said more than 120 people were arrested over the weekend and taken to police stations, adding that the arrests “confirmed the repression of free voices and the restriction of the right to free expression.”

Unlike past protests led by unions or political parties, these demonstrations were largely spread through social media platforms like TikTok and Discord—popular with gamers and teenagers—by a leaderless movement.

Two groups, Gen Z 212 and Morocco Youth Voices, called for “peaceful and civilized protests” and responsible debate, even as many of their supporters voiced more militant demands.

“There is no hope,” said Youssef, a 27-year-old engineer protesting in Casablanca. “I don’t just want reforms in health and education; I want a complete system reform. I want better salaries, better jobs, lower prices, and a better life.”

In Morocco, those born between 1995 and 2010 make up the largest share of the population, and this weekend’s demonstrations were widely described as Gen Z protests. Young Moroccans drew inspiration from Nepal, where youth-led demonstrations have channeled widespread anger over lack of opportunities, corruption, and nepotism.

Health Sector at the Core of Public Anger

Earlier this month, Moroccans protested outside hospitals in several cities and rural towns, denouncing the decline in public services.

Officials have denied prioritizing World Cup-related spending over public infrastructure, saying the problems facing the health sector were inherited from the past.

Earlier this month, Morocco’s billionaire Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch defended what he called the government’s “major achievements” in health.

“We have carried out reforms, increased spending, and are building hospitals across the country,” said Akhannouch, who is also the mayor of Agadir. “Agadir hospital has faced problems since 1962... and we are trying to solve them.”

Following the protests, Moroccan Health Minister Amine Tahraoui dismissed the hospital director as well as regional health officials.

World Health Organization data for 2023 shows Morocco has only 7.7 health professionals per 10,000 people—and much fewer in some areas, including Agadir, which has 4.4 per 10,000. The WHO recommends 25 per 10,000.

After the rallies, Gen Z 212 announced on Facebook that it was planning more demonstrations. “Protesting is the only way to get our rights,” one demonstrator told an older man who tried to dissuade him, warning that he risked being arrested.