Activists in Morocco are calling for fresh demonstrations this weekend, as a wave of youth-led Gen Z protests continues despite the deaths of three people and more than 500 reported arrests since late September. The protests, named GenZ 212 after the country's international dialling code, have criticised underfunding of healthcare and education amid spending on stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Among the dead is Abdessamade, a 24-year-old film-maker allegedly shot by security forces on 1 October in Lqliâa, near Agadir. His brother, Ayoub Oubalat, described him as a “peaceful man” who had applied to join the police two days earlier. Authorities claim officers opened fire after protesters stormed a police station, but activists maintain many of those killed and arrested were peaceful.
The protests, organised partly on the gaming platform Discord, have drawn a strong police response. According to Salaheddine Lemaizi, editor of the Moroccan media outlet Enass, more than 500 people were arrested in the first six days, with 272 still in detention, including 36 minors. “These mass arrests are clearly aimed at suppressing youth activism,” he said, noting some have received sentences of up to 10 years.
King Mohammed VI called for rapid social reforms in a speech to parliament, but did not address specific demands such as tackling corruption or releasing activists. The hashtag #FreeKoulchi (“free everyone”) has gained traction online, while rapper Hamza Raid, whose song Kifa7i has over 10 million YouTube views, has been arrested and faces a potential prison sentence.
The Moroccan Organisation for Human Rights (OMDH) has stated that the freedom to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution and international conventions.
