An investigative judge at the Court of Appeal in Tangier ordered the detention of additional suspects Monday evening, including minors, in connection with acts of vandalism that occurred during ongoing Gen Z protests across several Moroccan cities.
A judicial source told Hespress AR that more than 20 people, most of them minors, appeared before the investigative judge on Monday.
Outside the courthouse, scenes of relief and anguish played out among families, some rejoicing as their children were released, while others broke down in tears after the judge decided to keep their sons in custody. Many of the arrests were made in the rural commune of El Oaouamra in Larache province.
According to the same source, the total number of people held in pretrial detention before the criminal chamber in Tangier has risen to more than 80, up from about 60 on Saturday night.
The detainees from El Oaouamra are accused of throwing stones at Royal Gendarmerie officers, injuring one officer in the head. Authorities reportedly relied on security camera footage and drone surveillance to identify those involved in the violent incidents.
Meanwhile, court sources confirmed that dozens of defendants linked to the recent unrest in Tangier, Larache, and Ksar El Kebir are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
The protests, organized by the youth movement “Gen Z 212,”began as peaceful demonstrations demanding better healthcare, education, and anti-corruption reforms, but have since expanded to calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch’s government.
For the tenth consecutive day, protesters gathered Monday in Tangier’s Sour Maâgazine Square, chanting slogans denouncing rising living costs and the deterioration of public services, while repeating their demand for the government to step down.
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