Rabat – A French citizen massacred a young Moroccan shepherd’s flock of sheep in the Casablanca-Settat region by ramming the animals with his car, and a graphic video posted to social media this morning captured the horrific event.
The crime occurred in Essanaoubar Beach, also known as Plage David, in the city of Bouznika 53 kilometers north of Casablanca and close to Mohammedia.
The man is identified as Mr. S., a Frenchman working at the nearby Club des Pin. The video shows him driving a gray utility vehicle near a field where a young shepherd’s flock quietly grazed. Suddenly, the vehicle accelerates head-on at the herd.
S. swerves the car from left to right, aiming at several sheep struggling to escape until he mercilessly plowed through a line of the animals herded together.
The shepherd watched helplessly as a number of his sheep were hurled underneath the tires of the vehicle and killed.
S. turned his car around, put it in park, and stepped out. He is recorded threatening the shepherd, “Get out of here because you’re going to [end up] like the sheep!”
Chouf TV later released a video showing the shepherd standing over one of his dead sheep, using his foot to check for any signs of life.
Residents of Essanaoubar beach recognized the man and identified him as the same person responsible for slaughtering a dog in the same fashion last year.
According to circulating testimonies, S. carried out the 2019 attack in protest of the animals grazing on his land.
Following an official complaint, local authorities reportedly intervened and arrested the French citizen. Moroccan organizations advocating for animals have also stepped in to condemn the crime.
Sheep in Morocco cost anywhere between MAD 200 and 5000 ($20 and $509), depending on the animal’s breed, weight, age, and region it is sold in. Shepherds herd sheep to make a living, meaning the loss of a single sheep can have a crippling impact on their livelihood.
A Moroccan association has stated that they are putting the young shepherd in touch with a lawyer. Additionally, a number of followers on the “Plage David” Facebook page have stepped forward to offer support.
