The recently formed Moroccan youth collective GenZ 212 called for the government's resignation tonight, after six days of protests for better health and education services that were marked by violence and the deaths of three people.
The demonstrations, organized by GenZ 212 since Saturday, followed protests that began in mid-September in several cities over the deaths of eight pregnant women admitted for cesarean sections at a state hospital in Agadir, in the south of the country.
"The people want health and education," chanted dozens of demonstrators yesterday, waving Moroccan flags in the Agdal shopping district in the center of the capital Rabat, and as reported by the Agence France-Presse, the protests ended peacefully.
Rallies were also held in Casablanca, Marrakech and Agadir, according to local media reports.
The GenZ 212 collective, whose founders are unknown and which boasts 150.000 members on the Discord platform, presents itself as a group of "free youth", without political affiliation.
The group stressed that it "rejects all forms of violence" and called on protesters "to respect the peaceful nature" of the movement.
On the night between Wednesday and Thursday, following demonstrations, violence broke out across the country.
Three people were killed by gendarmes "in self-defense" as they attempted an "attack" on a gendarmerie brigade in the village of Lklija, near Agadir, to seize weapons and ammunition, the Interior Ministry said.
"We call for the dissolution of the current government due to its failure to protect the constitutional rights of Moroccans and respond to their social demands," GenZ 212 said in a statement addressed to King Mohammed VI, calling for "fair judicial proceedings" against those responsible for corruption.
Prime Minister Aziz Ahanoush confirmed the government's readiness to "respond to the social demands" of young people and expressed "readiness for dialogue".
The Kingdom, which will be one of the hosts of the 2030 World Cup, has begun major infrastructure projects: building new stadiums, expanding its high-speed rail network, and modernizing several airports.
"We want hospitals, not just stadiums," is the slogan that has been used since the beginning of the protests and was the message of the youth yesterday in Rabat, Casablanca and Agadir.
GenZ 212 (212 is the area code for Morocco) claims to act out of "love for the country and the king", in a country where there are great inequalities, both territorial and between the public and private sectors.
GenZ 212 also called for the "release of all those detained in connection with peaceful protests."
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