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Anti-government protests enter eighth day in Morocco

Three people have been killed during the unrest, with hundreds arrested and detained.

• October 5, 2025
Protesters in Morocco
Protesters in Morocco [Photo Credit: peoplesdispatch.org]

For the eighth consecutive day, young Moroccans have taken to the streets in protest against huge government spending on co-hosting the 2030 World Cup, demanding that resources be channelled into healthcare, education, and other pressing needs in the country.

A reported $5bn (£3.7bn) budget for a 115,000-capacity stadium, along with other football facilities and infrastructure ahead of the 2030 World Cup, sparked the protests on September 27.

The demonstrations have continued to rock the North African country through Sunday morning, as youths converged outside Morocco’s Parliament in Rabat.

Organised and coordinated via social media by a group called Gen Z 212, the protests have stretched for over a week, with demonstrators chanting: “No World Cup, health comes first” and “We want hospitals, not football stadiums.”

Three people have been killed during the unrest, while hundreds have been arrested and detained. Yet, the protests have persisted, with some calling on Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign.

Although Mr Akhannouch, in a televised address, called for “dialogue and discussion within institutions and public spaces,” young Moroccans have remained on the streets.

The demonstrations in Morocco come after youth-led protests in Nepal recently turned bloody, leading to government collapse as irate protesters hunted government officials during nationwide demonstrations.

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