Morocco entered a state of emergency on March 20 to stop the spread of the virus and ensure safety of citizens.
Rabat – Groups of people in the cities of Tangier, Tetouan, and Fez took to the streets on March 21, defying Morocco’s state of emergency, under which citizens are not to leave their houses except for urgent cases to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Videos of people crying “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) and rallying in the streets of the cities have gone viral on social media.
The actions come just a day after Morocco declared a state of emergency to restrict movement and contain the spread of COVID-19.
Citizens and residents must fill out “exceptional movement permits” and carry them at all times for the purposes of going to work, buying groceries or medicine, or receiving medical care.
The defiance of Morocco’s efforts to minimize the damage of COVID-19 has angered citizens and residents who welcomed the government’s measures against the proliferation of the virus.
“Yesterday’s act amid the state of emergency is a more serious act than disobedience. The real definition of the criminal act is undermining the safety and security of citizens and underestimation of the novel coronavirus spread,” Moroccan academic Reda El Fellah said.
Others called upon Morocco’s security forces to arrest anyone involved in defying and undermining the country’s preventive measures.
“We are starting from scratch again after what they did yesterday. Now we should all go to say goodbye to our beloved ones because we might become like Italy now,” reads a post on the Facebook page “Yedi f’Ydek,” which calls for solidarity against the epidemic in Morocco.
Morocco confirmed 104 coronavirus cases as of Sunday, March 22. The country has imposed drastic measures to prevent the pandemic from escalating.
Coronavirus cases have topped 300,000 worldwide, including more than 13,000 deaths and nearly 96,000 recoveries.
