Authorities arrest content creators for glamorizing drug use, to the Moroccan creative scene's chock

The recent arrest of four young Moroccans has caused outrage among citizens this Monday, April 25, prompting creative and social media users to launch a campaign denouncing the “unnecessary” criminal repercussion of what most see as a “creative,” “artistic” project.

Police in Ouled Taima, near Agadir south of the country, arrested the four individuals, aged between 20 and 31, on “inciting drug consumption” and “producing content that disrupts public order” charges.

The arrestees were apprehended following the publication of a short video on Instagram, depicting a marriage proposal using drugs instead of a ring.

According to security sources from Hespress AR, authorities were alerted as the “scene incites the possession and consumption of drugs.”

Field investigations resulted in identifying the identities of those involved in shooting, acting and sharing the footage, which led to their arrest on Sunday, according to the same source.

Two of the young individuals were kept under provisional arrest, while the other detainees were subjected to judicial investigation. In addition, one of the apprehended youth was found to have a criminal record.

The video in question had already garnered a lot of attention in the Moroccan virtual creative scene, for its portrayal of a couple from “an underrepresented social class.”

The creator, who has since deleted the video and is said to be one of the individuals under arrest at this time, is a well-known content creator in Morocco, and has cultivated a following for his crisp videos, popular style, and creative concepts.

Social media users initially had a hard time believing the news of the arrest, saying the content “falls under the creative license,” and “should not be considered as inticing drug use.”

Malak B, a business student, and culture blogger said that “if the creation of this video legitimizes an arrest, then authorities will have to lock up most young Moroccan rappers, often seen smoking joints and consuming drugs in their music videos.”

Moroccan creatives and content creators have also voiced their anger at the arrests, saying that “art should not be penalized and criminalized.”

Across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, users are still calling for the release of the creator and those who took part int the video, claiming “art is not a crime.”