Riots that broke out in Morocco this week over the country’s hosting of the World Cup have left three people dead.
Thursday marked the sixth consecutive night of protests against under-resourced public services, as the North African country spends billions on the 2030 edition of FIFA’s flagship football tournament.
Three people were killed on Wednesday night after security forces opened fire against what the authorities claimed was a mob attempting to storm a police station.
Rallies have been fuelled by anger over social inequality, particularly following reports last month of the deaths of eight pregnant women at a public hospital in the city of Agadir.
The leaderless protest group, which calls itself Gen Z 212, in reference to Morocco’s international dialling code, said in a statement that its demands were “the right to health, education, and a dignified life.”
The protests are the worst seen in the usually stable country for more than a quarter of a century.
Protests have taken place in several cities across the country, from Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, to smaller towns such as Lqliaa in the south, where police on Wednesday said people had wielded blades and caused injury to more than 300 officers.
Through chants and posters, demonstrators have contrasted the cost of preparation for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco is due to co-host along with Spain and Portugal, with what they claimed was woefully inadequate funding for public health and education.
“Health care first, we don’t want the World Cup,” has emerged as one of the most popular refrains on the street over the past week.
The cost to Morocco of hosting the 2030 tournament is estimated to be up to €5 billion, with around half of the cost coming from state coffers.
The demonstrators have been careful not to criticise King Mohammed VI, the highest authority in Morocco, instead blaming his government for incompetence and corruption.
On Thursday, demonstrators in Casablanca called for the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who is one of Morocco’s richest individuals, with a fortune estimated by Forbes to be $1.5 billion.
Mr Akhannouch broke his silence on the demonstrations on Thursday to say he was “prepared to open a dialogue and debate within public institutions”, while also expressing sorrow for the three deaths.
(Irish Independent)
