Morocco’s youth-driven “Gen Z 212” movement entered its sixth day of demonstrations Thursday, staging largely peaceful rallies across the country after two nights of violence that left three people dead.
Social media reports and eyewitnesses said the protests ended around 8 p.m. without violence or mass arrests, marking a shift from earlier confrontations. Demonstrators continued to demand reforms in education and health care, greater access to jobs, and stronger efforts to combat corruption.
In Casablanca, hundreds of young protesters gathered in Place Maréchal in the city center, chanting slogans demanding social justice and denouncing government policies. “Why are we here? For the health system we want,” and “Your children studied, you marginalized the children of the people,” they shouted. Many emphasized that they rejected violence and wanted their movement to remain peaceful.
Protesters, both men and women, also expressed trust in the monarchy and called on King Mohammed VI to intervene. Chants of “The people want the king to intervene” echoed through the crowd, with some speakers declaring that while they loved the king, the government’s silence and failure to act had left them no choice but to appeal to the highest institution in the country.
“The health sector crisis is what drove us here, along with the failures in education,” one protester told Hespress AR, while others demanded the government’s resignation. Despite a strong security presence, police did not disperse the gathering or pressure protesters to leave.
Similar rallies were reported in Rabat, Essaouira, Had Soualem, Oujda, and several other cities. In the capital’s Agdal district, dozens chanted for Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to step down, later thanking police for maintaining a non-interventionist stance.
The Gen Z 212 group, which has been organizing through Discord and online podcasts, said demonstrations were centered in Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Tetouan, Agadir, Meknes, Kenitra, Marrakech, Mohammedia, El Jadida, Safi, Oujda, and Fez.
The group urged protesters to reject “all forms of violence” and to end demonstrations by nightfall. Some participants suggested inviting a government representative to join their online discussions.
Meanwhile, lawyer Sara Soujar said 43 young protesters were brought before prosecutors Thursday. One was placed in pretrial detention, while 92 others were released pending trial without bail. Juveniles were handed back to their parents, with hearings scheduled in juvenile court.
The demonstrations, which began Saturday, have become one of the most significant displays of youth-led dissent in Morocco in recent years, uniting demands for dignity, social justice, and systemic reform under the banner of a new generation.
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