Rabat – The Anti-Gang Unit in Casablanca said it arrested a man who attempted to impersonate a police officer on the evening of Tuesday during security interventions in some neighborhoods of the city during the ongoing Gen Z protests.
Since last Saturday, several cities across Morocco have witnessed widespread protests by young people demanding better healthcare and education.
According to a security source, the suspect presented himself to members of the unit as a police officer, claiming he worked in the Derb El Yehoudi district under the city’s security authority. When asked to show his professional ID card, he stated that he had left it at home.
Police added that during a search, security officers found in his possession a plastic gun, a leather holster for handcuffs, and a bullet. He was later placed in police custody under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office.
Security services said they are continuing intensive investigations to determine the circumstances of the incident and uncover the true motives behind his impersonation of a police officer and his possession of such items at this particular time.
The ongoing protests, led by young groups such as GenZ212 and Moroccan Youth Voice, were driven by anger over inadequate public services in health and education, as well as rising inequality.
Protestors and the general public have criticized the security response towards the young protestors, with hundreds of videos showing police manhandling peaceful demonstrators, using force to disperse groups, and violently detaining them.
However, the leadership of the government majority welcomed yesterday what it described as a “measured” response by security forces, though eyewitnesses and footage tell a completely different story.
The leadership said it is “ready to respond positively and responsibly through dialogue and discussion within institutions and public forums, and by finding realistic, implementable solutions that serve the interests of the nation and citizens.”
Last night, the protests took a violent turn, especially in Oujda and Agadir, where acts of vandalism marred the youth demonstrations, including looting and setting buildings and stores on fire. In addition, dozens of injuries were recorded among security forces and protesters. Police placed 409 individuals under judicial custody.
A viral video from last night showed a police car running over a young man in Oujda and breaking both his legs. Initial reports suggested that he had passed away, but police later denied the claims and said he was taken to the hospital and that his condition is stable. His father reported that his leg was amputated. More videos showed other incidents of police cars running over protestors.
Many condemn the violent turn the protesters took, including vandalism, while some argue that this was the result of police suppression and treatment of peaceful protestors on the first three days of the demonstrations.
