Morocco protests escalate into violent clashes with police
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Protests in Morocco over education and healthcare reforms erupt into violent clashes, with arrests, injuries, and growing calls for government action.
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People are detained while taking part in a youth-led protest calling for education and health reforms, in Casablanca, Morocco, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025 (AP)
Protests demanding better education and healthcare in Morocco escalated into violent clashes with security forces on Tuesday evening, marking the fourth consecutive day of demonstrations.
In the southern towns of Tiznit, Inezgane, and Ait Amira, as well as in Oujda in the east and Temara near Rabat, hundreds of young demonstrators hurled stones at security forces attempting to disperse crowds, according to local media and eyewitnesses cited by Reuters.
In Ait Amira, located 560 kilometers south of Rabat, protesters overturned and damaged police vehicles and set a bank on fire, local outlets reported. In Inezgane, videos circulated on social media showed masked demonstrators igniting another bank, while others clashed with police using water cannons. Several cars were burned, and one group attempted to storm a major supermarket.
Violence and injuries
South of Tiznit, dozens of protesters threw stones at police forces while chanting slogans, including “the people want to end corruption.” In Oujda, a demonstrator was seriously injured after being struck by a police vehicle, the state-run Maghreb Arab Press agency reported.
In the capital Rabat, police arrested dozens of youths who tried to rally in a crowded neighborhood, according to eyewitnesses.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights said 37 young protesters were released on bail pending investigation. Its Rabat branch president, Hakim Sikouk, condemned the arrests, calling them “unconstitutional.” Meanwhile, prosecutors in Casablanca announced that 24 demonstrators who blocked a highway on Sunday are facing judicial investigation.
The ruling coalition issued a statement on Tuesday expressing readiness to engage in dialogue with youth “within institutions and public spaces to find realistic solutions.” The government also praised what it described as the “measured response of security forces in line with legal procedures.”
Security forces block protests
A heavy security presence stopped Morocco's youth-led protests on Monday evening, as demonstrators took to the streets for the third consecutive day to demand improvements in the country’s health and education sectors.
Authorities moved quickly in cities including Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier, and Oujda, where a youth collective called Gen Z 212 had mobilized protests online through TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.
Reuters reported that dozens of young people were arrested in different cities, though Moroccan authorities have not yet commented officially. In Rabat, plainclothes security officers detained protesters attempting to chant or speak to journalists.
