Tragic Escalation in Morocco: First Fatalities Amid Gen Z Protests

Fri Oct 10 2025 15:13:09 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Recent protests in Morocco calling for social reforms turn deadly as police open fire, resulting in multiple casualties. The youth-led movements are demanding action on public service issues over government spending on stadiums.

In Morocco, protests led by the youth demographic have turned violent, leading to the first reported fatalities as police intervened to prevent a direct assault on a police station. The demonstrations, sparked by frustration over government priorities, notably spending on stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, have drawn nationwide participation with calls for improved public services such as healthcare and education.

At least two people have been killed in Morocco after police opened fire to prevent protesters from storming a police station in Lqliaa, near the coastal city of Agadir, state media reports.

These deaths mark the first since massive youth-led protests erupted across Morocco on Saturday, fueled by outrage over the government's decision to allocate funds for football stadiums ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup rather than addressing pressing public services and economic challenges.

Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals? has become a popular chant among the demonstrators, primarily drawing young people. A protester from Oujda described the local hospital as akin to a jail, criticizing the conditions that forced patients to bribe staff for medical attention.

The unrest has been primarily happening at night, with police claiming they acted in self-defense during an assault on Wednesday evening in Lqliaa. The interior ministry emphasized the legal right to protest but also acknowledged the tensions and violence during the demonstrations.

Organizers from the youth-led protest movement, known as GenZ 212 — referring to Morocco's international dialing code — have distanced themselves from the violence, coordinating protests mainly via social media without a formal leadership structure.

Morocco's economic climate remains tough, with official unemployment rates at 12.8%, but soaring to 35.8% among youth and 19% among graduates, according to Reuters. Protests have spread to several cities, including the capital Rabat, commercial center Casablanca, and tourist hotspot Marrakesh, where police stations were set on fire.

Interior ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi noted that 409 people have been detained nationwide amid the protests, with dozens injured on both sides. The recent demonstrations resonate with a global trend of youth-led activism seen this year in other parts of the world, including Nepal and Madagascar.

In response, Morocco's governing coalition expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the youth to seek realistic solutions while commending the restraint shown by security authorities.