After Tangier, Casablanca Halts ‘Yellow Vest’ Car Guard Permits

Doha – The mayor of Casablanca, Nabila Rmili, has ordered an immediate suspension of issuing and renewing permits for car guards across the city’s streets, boulevards, and public spaces, marking a long-awaited change in urban parking management.

In an administrative circular dated December 31, 2024, Rmili instructed the presidents of all 16 city districts to “cease issuing or renewing individual permits for guarding cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles.” The directive took effect immediately upon signing.

This decision comes weeks after similar measures were implemented in Tangier, where Younes Tazi, the Wali of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, had directed district council presidents and local authority representatives to halt the issuance of car guarding permits in the city’s streets and public areas.

The move aims to address the widespread chaos in Casablanca’s parking sector, where unauthorized guards have been imposing arbitrary and excessive parking fees on motorists. According to sources from the city council’s management office, the measure seeks to curb the phenomenon of “yellow vest” guards while optimizing the municipality’s financial resources.

The city is currently exploring several alternatives, including the installation of parking meters in key areas such as Ain Diab, where car guards have been charging excessive amounts. Officials are also considering delegating parking management to local development companies, replacing the current individual permit system.

Local residents have long complained about extortion and harassment from individuals controlling certain areas, particularly in Ain Diab, where drivers are forced to pay arbitrary fees for parking. The situation has led to numerous confrontations between car owners and unauthorized guards, sometimes requiring police intervention.

Sources within the city council report that some elected officials at the district level have been exploiting the permit system for personal and electoral gains, issuing numerous authorizations that have contributed to the sector’s disorder.

The measure is being implemented pending the development of a robust legal framework for vehicle parking management, similar to the approach taken in Tangier. The decision represents part of a broader campaign being executed in several regions across the country to regulate public parking spaces.