Deadly clashes in Morocco left at least two protesters dead as the GenZ 212 youth movement escalated demands for healthcare, education, and political reforms.
Morocco is facing unrest after youth-led protests escalated into deadly clashes, leaving at least two people dead near Agadir on Wednesday night.
The demonstrations, driven by a group calling itself GenZ 212, began last week with demands for improved healthcare, education, and broader social reforms.
Authorities confirmed the deaths occurred in Lqliaa, near Agadir, during a confrontation where protesters allegedly attempted to seize firearms from security forces.
While peaceful protests were recorded in Casablanca, violent scenes erupted in Marrakech, Salé, and several towns in the Souss region. Witnesses reported masked teenagers torching public buildings and blocking roads. A resident, Hassan Berkouz, said, “They set fire to the commune headquarters in Sidi Bibi and blocked a major route.”
Security forces, who had initially deployed tear gas, resorted to live ammunition after protesters set part of a gendarmerie complex ablaze.
The GenZ 212 movement, inspired by similar youth uprisings globally, has rapidly expanded online, with its Discord server ballooning from 3,000 to over 130,000 members in a week.
Calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch continue to grow as Morocco braces for further demonstrations.
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