12 People Arrested in Sale After Ashura Night Violence

Rabat – Police in the Moroccan city of Sale arrested 12 people, including minors, after violence broke out during Ashura celebrations on Saturday night.

Videos shared online showed groups of teenagers and young men set fire to tires and trash bins in several neighborhoods. When police and auxiliary forces tried to stop the chaos, they were attacked with stones.

Footage showed these individuals throwing rocks at security officers and setting fires in the streets. 

The adult suspects have been placed in police custody, while the minors are under supervision, pending a judicial investigation led by the public prosecutor, SNRT News reported.

Police had already carried out preventive operations before and during the night of Ashura. These efforts led to the seizure of tires and other items used to start fires, added the report.

Ashura is a religious day observed on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. On this day, Sunni Muslims commemorate the day that God saved Moses and the Israelites from Egypt by parting the Red Sea. For Shia Muslims, it is an important day of mourning, honoring the martyr Imam Hussein. The day has both spiritual and cultural significance in Morocco.

For many Moroccans, especially children, Ashura is a joyful occasion during which they buy toys, drums, masks, and sweets. It’s common for children to play with water, sometimes splashing each other in the streets in a game called “Zamzam” after the holy Zamzam water. Families often cook special dishes and donate to the poor.

However, in some cities, particularly in “chaabi” (popular) neighborhoods, the celebrations can turn dangerous. Young people light bonfires in the streets using tires and garbage. 

These gatherings sometimes escalate into clashes with police, rock-throwing, and property damage. In recent years, authorities have tried to limit these actions with increased patrols and bans on selling tires or fireworks around the time of Ashura.