By RABAT, Oct 1 (AfrikTimes) – Two people were killed and several others injured in Lqliaa, near Agadir, when security forces used firearms to prevent a group of individuals from stealing their weapons on Wednesday night, local authorities said, in an incident that marks a deadly turn in anti-government protests that initially rallied for social justice reforms.
The protests, which started Saturday with demands for better education and healthcare, have been organized online by an anonymous youth collective calling itself GenZ 212. The group has mobilized supporters through TikTok, Instagram, and the gaming platform Discord. Membership in GenZ 212’s Discord server surged from around 3,000 last week to more than 130,000 today, reflecting the rapid growth of the youth-led protest movement.
According to authorities, security forces first used tear gas to disperse protesters storming the gendarmerie compound. When that failed, and after protesters—armed with knives—set fire to part of the facility and a vehicle, security personnel opened fire in what they described as self-defense. Officials did not specify the number of people injured.
Members of the security forces stand guard as they prevent a protest demanding reforms in education and health from taking place, in Rabat, Morocco, September 29, 2025.
Authorities initially responded with attempts to quash the rallies, but the demonstrations escalated into widespread unrest on Tuesday night. Reuters images showed heavily armed police encircling protesters and forcefully hauling them into vans.
Inspired by similar youth-led protests in Asia and Latin America, GenZ 212 has become the driving force behind the unrest, which began peacefully but has spiraled into violent confrontations with authorities.
The Interior Ministry said 263 members of security forces and 23 civilians were injured during Tuesday’s clashes.
WAVE OF YOUTH ANGER
On Wednesday night, violence spread to Salé, near the capital Rabat, where groups of young men in densely populated neighborhoods hurled stones at police, looted shops, set banks ablaze, and torched police vehicles, according to witnesses. In Tangier, on the Strait of Gibraltar, youths clashed with security forces by throwing stones.
Smaller towns in the Souss region near Agadir saw for the second consecutive night some of the most intense unrest. In Sidi Bibi, masked youths burned the commune headquarters and blocked a main road, said local resident Hassan Berkouz. South of Agadir in Biougra, a bank was ransacked and shops were damaged.
Members of the security forces detain a man as they prevent a protest demanding reforms in education and health from taking place, in Rabat, Morocco, September 29, 2025.
“I was in the cafe watching the PSG vs Real Madrid match when young men started hurling stones at shops. We watched the game still inside the closed cafe,” Abdeslam Chegri, a local civil society activist, said.
Morocco’s tourist hub Marrakech saw violent clashes as protesters burned a police station, according to local media LeDesk. The recent wave of youth anger was sparked by earlier protests in Agadir over poor hospital conditions, which quickly spread to other cities. In Taroudant, usually a quiet town east of Agadir, demonstrators clashed with security forces, attacked shops and burned cars.
By contrast, peaceful demonstrations were held in Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, and in the eastern cities of Oujda and Taza. Protesters there called for Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign and chanted slogans such as “The people want an end to corruption.”
Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 35.8% and 19% among graduates, according to the national statistics agency. While Morocco has seen recurring peaceful protests over economic and social grievances, this week’s unrest is the most violent since the 2016–2017 demonstrations in the northern Rif region.
Law enforcement officers detain a protester as the country experiences the fourth consecutive day of youth-led demonstrations demanding better education and healthcare, in Rabat, Morocco, September 30, 2025.
Earlier in the day, the Interior Ministry said it would uphold the right to protest within legal boundaries and pledged to respond with “restraint and self-control, avoiding provocation.”
On Tuesday, in posts on social media sites discussing the protests, the “GenZ 212” group said it rejected violence and was committed to continuing peaceful protests. It said it had no conflict with the security forces, only with the government.
Authorities said 409 people have been taken into custody since the unrest began, with 193 set to face trial—most on bail—on charges including arson, ransacking, and attacking security forces, according to the prosecutor.
Anti-riot security personnel stand guard near the parliament, to prevent a protest demanding better healthcare and education services, in Rabat, Morocco September 27, 2025. 
