Two people lost their lives during a fifth consecutive night of anti-government protests in Morocco.
According to state media, police opened fire after a group of demonstrators attempted to storm a police station near Agadir.
Organizers urged protesters to stay peaceful and condemned what they described as “repressive security tactics” by authorities.
The so called Gen Z protests fueled mostly by young Moroccans have grown into the largest demonstrations the country has seen in years.
The unrest continues to spread across new regions, highlighting deep frustration over what protesters describe as widespread corruption and the government’s neglect of schools and hospitals.
Many demonstrators are also angered that authorities are pouring billions into World Cup projects while essential services like education and healthcare are left underfunded.
In Sale, a working class city near the capital Rabat, an Associated Press journalist witnessed hundreds of masked youths setting fire to cars, banks, and shops, while also smashing windows.
Reports from local media and eyewitnesses described similar scenes of violence in southern and eastern towns, including Inzegane, Ait Amira, and Oujda.
In Oujda, a police vehicle plowed into demonstrators, injuring one person. The Interior Ministry announced that since the protests began on Saturday, 409 people have been arrested.
Authorities also reported that 263 members of the security forces and 23 civilians were injured. In addition, 142 police vehicles and 20 private cars were damaged.
