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Rabat – Authorities in the Oriental region have denied reports about the death of one of the protesters on the evening of Tuesday who was struck by a security services vehicle in Oujda.
Moroccan news agency MAP quoted the region’s Wilaya (governorate), which has denied reports that alleged that the individual had passed away.
Viral videos show protesters in the city of Oujda surrounding a law enforcement vehicle that then proceeded to run over one of the young people. The disturbing footage sparked concerns over the circumstances of the ongoing situation.
This comes as youth-led protests that started off peacefully have turned chaotic due to rioting and vandalism in several cities, including in the Souss-Massa region and the Oriental.
Many activists and politicians are now calling for restraint and calm, including the GenZ212 movement, one of the youth initiatives that is leading the protests.
In a statement on Tuesday, the movement called on youth to maintain a peaceful approach during the protests, emphasizing against any behaviors that could be exploited against the legitimate demands protesters are calling for.
Videos online document chaotic scenes as many young people engaged themselves in clashes with police, throwing stones at security services, and setting streets on fire.
Vehicles can also be seen damaged, overturned, and on fire, in addition to property thefts and vandalism that target banks and local markets.
Politicians like PJD’s Abdelilah Benkirane are now using their social media to urge youth to halt demonstrations, as violence and chaos could threaten Morocco’s security and stability.
“Four days have passed since these protests began. During the first three days, the demonstrations remained peaceful until yesterday, when we were surprised by confrontations with the authorities, including rocks being thrown at police officers who were carrying out their duties as instructed,” Benkirane said in a message on Facebook on Tuesday.
