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2025 Moroccan Gen Z protests
2025 youth-led protests in Morocco From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A series of ongoing youth-led demonstrations in Morocco began on 27 September 2025. Organized by decentralized, anonymous collectives known as GenZ 212[1][a] and Morocco Youth Voice, the protests demanded significant improvements to public education and healthcare, while criticizing government spending on international sporting events like the 2030 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.[3][4] Protesters expressed discontent with the state of the economy, the deterioration of quality of public services, and state investment in infrastructure for international sporting events over public services.[5]
Three protesters were shot dead after a Royal Gendarmerie station was stormed in Lqliâa.[6] According to the Ministry of Interior, at least 409 protestors were arrested (most of whom were minors), 28 protestors were injured (including one in critical condition in Oujda), and 326 security forces were injured. Material damage included 271 police cars, 175 private cars, and the vandalism of more than 80 public establishments and private businesses.[6]
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Background
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The protests emerged against a backdrop of high youth unemployment, which official statistics placed at 35.8%[4] along with popular discontent over social inequality in Morocco.[7][8] More than half of Morocco's population is under 35 making Morocco experience a youth bulge.[9] Economic growth has averaged around 3% in recent years below the 6% that the country's development model set as a target.[10] Public anger intensified in September 2025 after eight women died during childbirth at a public hospital in Agadir, which was widely seen as highlighting the fragile healthcare system.[3][11] The incident led to Health Minister Amine Tahraoui firing the director of the hospital and other regional health officials.[3][12][13]
According to the World Health Organization, Morocco has only 7.7 doctors per 10,000 people, with some regions such as Agadir registering 4.4 per 10,000, well below the recommended 25.[3] Compared with neighbouring Algeria, which has 16.6 medical doctors per 10,000.[14]
In the years leading up to the protests, Morocco experienced criticism of the education system and access to public healthcare, as well as allegations of corruption and social inequality.[5] Criticism was also expressed about the government's spending in constructing and renovating stadiums for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, both of which are hosted or co-hosted by Morocco.[3][15] This contrast in spending priorities fueled popular slogans such as "Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?"[3][16] Preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup generated controversy due to expropriations and public spending on stadiums and infrastructure considered non-essential by parts of the population, with animal welfare groups also highlighting the killing of stray dogs by authorities.[17][18]
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Digital coordination and social demands
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The GenZ 212 Discord server was launched on September 18 with fewer than 1000 members at launch.[19] The GenZ 212 Discord server surged from 3,000 members to over 150,000 members by 2 October showing the rapid spread of the movement among youth.[20] In a statement on Discord, the GenZ 212 protest organizers said that "[t]he right to health, education and a dignified life is not an empty slogan but a serious demand." They cited King Mohammed VI, urged protesters to remain peaceful, and criticized the "repressive security approaches" by authorities.[15] They shared their demands on social media including but not limited to:[21]
- Free and quality education for all
- Accessible public healthcare for everyone
- Decent and affordable housing
- Better public transport
- Lower prices and subsidise basic goods
- Improve wages and pensions
- Provide job opportunities for youth and reduce unemployment
- Adopt English as the second language instead of French (after Arabic)
Other demands include reduction in spending on sports infrastructure and action against institutional corruption.[17] Protestors have also called on prime minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign.[22] In a letter addressed to Mohammed VI, they called on him to dismiss the government and corrupt political parties, release detainees and convene a government forum to hold corrupt officials accountable. Despite the king's authority, they directed their opposition to government officials calling on the king to oversee reforms.[23]
The protest movements took inspiration from the 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests, as it was organized in a similar fashion; organizers coordinated through Discord servers and were fueled by TikTok videos.[3][15]
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Timeline
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28–30 September
The first protests took place in Rabat, Marrakesh and Casablanca on 28 September 2025. Early arrests were reported by local outlets and rights groups.[24][8]
Further demonstrations and clashes occurred in Casablanca and Rabat on 29 September, with several arrests being made after protesters blocked a major highway in Casablanca. Riot police and plainclothes officers intervened in several cities.[5][25]
On 30 September, rioting, arson and stone-throwing were reported in several towns and cities, including Ait Amira, Inezgane, Agadir, Tiznit, Oujda, and Temara. In Ait Amira, a bank branch was set on fire and two police vehicles were overturned; running clashes with security forces also occurred.[26][27] A 19-year-old protesting student at Mohammed First University in Oujda was struck by a police vehicle and was hospitalized at CHU Mohammed VI Oujda under critical condition, before undergoing amputation of one leg due to the incident, with the other leg developing a bacterial infection.[28][29][30] In Casablanca, authorities said that 24 people were facing judicial investigation over the previous day's highway blockade; in Rabat, dozens detained days earlier were released on bail, pending investigation.[25][27] GenZ 212 made a statement on Facebook expressing "regret over acts of rioting or vandalism that affected public or private property" whilst urging its participants to remain peaceful.[31]
1–3 October
The Interior Ministry announces the official toll: 263 security personnel injured, 23 protesters injured, and 409 people arrested. Authorities also report damage to 142 police vehicles and 20 private cars.[32] The Public Prosecutor's Office announced that 193 people were charged on suspicion of violence or vandalism, 16 of which were remanded into custody until trial.[33]
Under royal instructions, the 19-year-old who was struck by a police car in Oujda was airlifted to a military hospital in Rabat.[34][35]
Additional local reports detail arrests and damage in Inezgane-Aït Melloul and other prefectures.[36]
Protests resumed in several Moroccan cities, with demonstrators insisting on remaining peaceful and expressing their social demands, including employment and improved education and health services. Hundreds of young people took to the streets in several cities, including Casablanca, where a popular march was currently taking place in solidarity with Amin Boussada, a young man who was run over by a police car in Oujda. While cities like Tangier and Tetouan witnessed the use of force by authorities to disperse demonstrators, cities like Casablanca did not witness the use of force for the first time since the beginning of the protests, adopting a cautious approach to avoid escalation. However, the city of Salé witnessed exceptional incidents, with acts of vandalism similar to those in Temara, targeting police vehicles and public and private property, prompting security forces to intervene to control the situation. The vandalism also affected the Carrefour shopping center and the Banque Populaire in the Amal neighborhood of Salé. The Gen Z 212 group called for protests in the cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, and Tetouan, as well as Meknes, Fez, Marrakech, and El Jadida. The protests also included calls for demonstrations in the cities of Laayoune and Guelmim. Protesters are demanding the release of detained youth, while continuing to raise slogans calling for the end of corruption and reform of education and health.[37]
Several Moroccan cities witnessed violent clashes between protesters and security forces on the night of 1 October. This included the Lqliâa in the outskirts of Agadir, where violence and vandalism led to gunfire. Three young men falling to the ground while gunfire was heard. The same videos also showed stone-throwing between Royal Gendarmerie personnel and protesters. The situation did not calm down until reinforcements from various security forces arrived to contain the situation, before carrying out a large-scale arrest campaign against the suspected young protesters.[38]
Local authorities in the Inzegane-Ait Melloul prefecture announced the deaths of two people after being shot, while others were injured, during protests that took place in the area on the night. Local authorities stated that Royal Gendarmerie personnel in Lqliâa "were forced to use their service weapons, in legitimate self-defense, to repel an attack and storming of the Royal Gendarmerie station by groups of individuals. The attack was an attempt to seize ammunition, equipment, and service weapons of the gendarmerie personnel." A judicial investigation has been opened under the supervision of the public prosecutor's office to uncover the full circumstances and details of these events, identify all those involved in these acts, and determine the legal consequences thereof, according to local authorities.[39] No witnesses could corroborate the claims of the local authorities.[40] later, the authorities released CCTV footage showing the attack on the Gendarmerie station.[41] Prime minister Aziz Akhannouch announced in a statement a third death.[42]
In Taroudant, the Taroudant Prefecture’s administrative headquarters was burnt down.[43]
On 3 October, GenZ 212 called for the dismissal of the government alongside the "release of all those detained in connection with the peaceful protests". They have also asserted their "love for the homeland and king".[44]
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Response
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According to human rights organisations, security forces dispersed several demonstrations and carried out dozens of arrests.[24] The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) denounced arbitrary detentions, use of force and restrictions on public gatherings.[45] The security response was criticized by Moroccan politicians and activists on social media, who argued that it violated Morocco's constitutional right to free expression.[46] Police security was tightened in response to the protests.[4]
The Ministry of Interior released an official statement through its spokesperson on 30 September, stressing that while the authorities remained committed to protecting freedoms, including the right to peaceful protest, demonstrations organized outside the legal framework had escalated into violence in several cities. According to the ministry, 263 members of the security forces were injured, 23 protesters were wounded, and widespread damage occurred to 142 police vehicles, 20 private cars, and multiple banks, shops and public institutions. The statement added that 49 individuals were placed in custody under orders from the public prosecutor, while others were released after identity checks. The ministry underlined that it would continue to preserve public order with "restraint and professionalism" but vowed to prosecute individuals engaged in violent acts in accordance with Moroccan law.[47][better source needed] According to Moroccan human rights lawyer Khadija Riyadi protestors were arrested for granting interviews to media.[48] The Interior Ministry accused demonstrators of using knives and firebombs.[20]
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Reactions
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Domestic
Government
On 30 September 2025, the Moroccan government issued a statement saying it "listens to and understands the social demands" of the youth protests and were "ready to respond positively and responsibly"[7] expressing willingness in engage in dialogue with youth "within institutions and public spaces to find realistic solutions" whilst also praising what it called "the balanced reaction of security authorities in line with relevant legal procedures".[28] On 2 October 2025, Prime minister Aziz Akhannouch praised the security force response to protests whilst also saying that the government was ready for a "dialogue and discussion within institutions and public spaces".[40][42][48]
Others
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) was vocal in its condemnation of the police response, documenting hundreds of arrests and describing the authorities' actions as a "security crackdown" and a "violation of the right to peaceful protest."[11][16] The organization provided legal support to many of those detained.[49] The head of the AMDH section in Rabat condemned the arrests as unconstitutional.[28]
Two opposition parties, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and the Federation of the Democratic Left, have denounced the government response to protests.[50] Abdelilah Benkirane, former prime minister and leader of the PJD, initially supported the protests but later posted a video after the violence on Tuesday condemning the violence and urging the movement to end the protests. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, secretary-general of the Authenticity and Modernity Party which is part of the governing coalition, acknowledged that the government "has not fully succeeded in responding to citizens' expectations" whilst also noting Morocco making progress within the last few decades. Nabila Mounib, general secretary of the Unified Socialist Party, joined one of the protests but was criticised for trying to capitalise from the movement.[19][51]
Several Moroccan celebrities like Yassine Bounou, Azzedine Ounahi and ElGrande Toto supported the protests.[51][52]
International
Foreign governments
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Intergovernmental organizations
UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticised the use of violence during the protests calling on protestors to engage peacefully as well as welcoming the government's intentions to enter into dialogue.[53]
Human rights groups
Amnesty International, through its regional office in Rabat, called for moderate use of force against protestors, as all signs show the protests will continue.[54]
Other
International media outlets described the protests as "some of Morocco's largest anti-government protests in years", highlighting the movement's decentralized nature and its critique of government spending priorities.[3][4][11][55]
British political scientist Nic Cheeseman said the protests were triggered by economic issues and were occurring "in more urbanised areas that are not as deeply authoritarian". He also said that "In general, it is where extremely young populations interact with urbanisation and economic downturn, under conditions where it is possible to protest".[56]
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See also
Notes
- From the +212 country code[2]
References
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