Thousands of people protest in Morocco against rising prices and oppression

Violent protests erupted in Morocco over the weekend. “People want lower prices. People want to eliminate arbitrariness and corruption,” shouted some 3,000 protesters in the capital, Rabat. Police spoke of 1200-1500 protesters. It was the biggest protests in Morocco in months.

“We have come to protest against a government that represents the link between money and power,” said Younes Ferachine of the Moroccan Social Front (FSM) of left-wing parties and unions, which organized the demonstration. People from all over the country answered his call.

Morocco has not yet recovered from the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and there is also high inflation. In October, consumer prices increased by 7.1% over the previous year, mainly due to the increase in food prices. According to a government report, the poverty rate has returned to its 2014 level.