Morocco Protests Turn Violent; Two Dead, 400+ Arrested

A loosely organized, youth-led movement called GenZ 212 used social media and Discord to mobilize nationwide protests demanding better education, healthcare and an end to corruption amid high youth unemployment and anger over spending for the 2030 World Cup. What began as largely peaceful demonstrations over the weekend escalated into five consecutive nights of rioting, looting, arson and attempts to storm security posts in cities including Agadir/Lqliaa, Salé, Inezgane, Oujda and Tangier. Authorities said security forces deployed tear gas and, in Lqliaa near Agadir, used live ammunition in self-defense to repel an attack on a gendarmerie facility, leaving two people dead and prompting a judicial investigation. Officials reported more than 400 arrests, nearly 300 people injured overall and some 263 members of the security forces wounded, while videos and witnesses documented burned vehicles, ransacked banks and damaged shops. GenZ 212 and some protesters called for calm even as opposition parties and analysts blamed government failures—including healthcare dysfunction and doctor emigration—for fueling grievances. Observers warned the unrest risks Morocco’s stability and international reputation ahead of World Cup preparations.