“We need hospitals more than football stadiums”

Morocco is currently building what will be the largest Globe football stadium in preparation for joint hosting at the 2030 World Cup.

But for the demonstrators who came out on the streets all over the country last Saturday, this exhibition of 115,000 capacity and all other football infrastructure in development, worth the reported $ 5 billion ($ 3.7 billion), is an attack – an example of a government that has confused its priorities.

“I protest because I want my country to be better. I don’t want to leave Morocco and I don’t want to resent my country that he has chosen to stay,” says Hajar Belhasan, a 25-year-old communications manager, 80 km (50 miles) south of Casablanca.

Group called Gen Z 212 – The number is a reference to the international dial code – coordinates demonstrations by discord of the Game and Streaming Platform, as well as Tiktok and Instagram.

Obviously, by drawing inspiration from the latest protests of Gen. Z in Nepal, the young Moroccans want the authorities to act with the same urgency and passion when it comes to dealing with these problems as the household of one of the world’s sports events.

Starting on September 27 with protests in 10 cities, the crowds are built during the week, chanting slogans such as: “No World Cup, Health comes first” and “We want hospitals, not football stadiums.”

Police responded at first sight arbitrary mass arrests and in certain places things have become violent, which led to the death of three protesters.

Prime Minister Aziz Ahanuch said on Thursday that he was open to dialogue, but movement without leaders swore to continue until there was no specific change.

A list of their requests is shared on social media. These include:

• Free and quality education for all
• Affordable public health for all
• Decent and accessible dwelling
• Better public transport
• Lower prices and subsidize basic goods
• Improvement of salaries and pensions
• Provide your young people’s work and reduce unemployment
• Accept English as a second language instead of French (after Arabic)

The anger was growing, but what the galvanized movement was death for several days in mid -September by eight women in the maternity ward of a hospital in the southern city of Agadir. There were some reports that death could be prevented if there were better care, appropriate equipment and enough medical staff.

In 2023 it was estimated that there were 7.8 doctors per 10,000 Moroccans, far below the recommendation of the World Health Organization from 23 to 10,000.

After reading about protests on social media and being inspired by a friend, Dzh Belhasan decided to join Monday.

The previous day, this friend was sending videos from a demonstration in Casablanca in which he participated, and D -Belhasan immediately uploaded them to his social media accounts.

Then her friend called to say that her brother had been arrested. He was not released until the early hours of the next morning. That’s what says, Gi Belhasan, is what pushes her to go out into the street.

“We make reasonable, basic requirements. Health and education are a necessity that must already be priority,” she says to the BBC in a passionate voice.

“It breaks my heart to see young, educated and peaceful people facing arbitrary arrests.”

When D -Ja Belhasan came out, she noticed that police were trying to stop people from gathering and arrested.

She says she was afraid to make contact with her eyes with officers if she caught their attention.

“I was afraid of my safety, but I still went out,” she says.

On Wednesday, interior ministry spokesman Rahid El Halphi said 409 people had been detained so far.

He also announced in a press release that 260 police officers and 20 protesters were injured and 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars were burned in violent collisions.

The twenty -three -year -old Hakim (not his real name) was one of the arrested.

He says he has taken the streets of Casablanca to protest calmly, but found himself in a police cell with about 40 people.

“This government abuses its power too much,” Hakim says. “My father had a blow a while ago. If we had no savings to treat him at a private hospital, he would die. What did I earn from a country that did not provide healthcare for my aging parents or teach me?”

It describes the state -funded education system as “far behind” what is offered in the private sector.

“We deserve a decent life,” Hakim says. “We want to host the FIFA World Cup, but we want to do it with high heads up, not while we are hiding behind the facade.”

The police response was heavily criticized by several Moroccan human rights organizations, protesters and opposition.

The Gen Z 212 protests are not the first time the young Moroccans went out to the street.

Many commentators online attract parallels with the cruel riots of 1981, where the dead became known as the martyrs for bread, as they protested against the rising price of the main foods. A 2004 committee appointed by the King to investigate past human rights violations have checked 114 deaths, but did not reveal how they died. The victims of violations of human rights and families of the dead were then made.

The country has observed other movements led by young people, in particular in 2011 and 2016.

The events of 2011 were part of the bigger Arab spring and led to the Constitution reform by a national referendum called by King Mohammed VI.

For the first time in Moroccan history, the monarch has strengthened the role of the government by passing on the executive power to the Prime Minister and Parliament. The King remains the legitimate state, military and religious cases, holding the power to appoint and remove ministers if necessary.

What makes Gen Z 212 different is that those who demonstrate say they are not bound by a political party and seem to have no official structure.

“We are not a political movement. We have no leader,” says Gi Belhasan.

“Maybe that’s why the police arrest people and why the government is silent – because in their eyes we do not follow the traditional path of organizations and political parties.”

But there is some concern about violence.

On the night of October 1, three protesters died in the city of Lqliaa after people tried to storm a police station. Local authorities said security forces opened fire after protesters tried to start fire and steal a weapon from the station, after which they subsequently released supportive CCTV staff to disprove the fake short stories online.

Protesters condemned the rebels and robbery who happened in certain areas and organized cleaning groups. They have also repeatedly called for peace and dialogue, but it seems that they are not convinced of the prime minister’s apparent readiness to speak.

On Friday, calls for the King to dissolve the government began to appear. This may be too far, but protesters seem to be in the mood to pull back.

Looking forward by 2030, the protester, Jzh Belhasan, says that “of course,” the Moroccans are “excited to host the World Cup.”

“We love football, in our blood. But we lack the basics. Of course, let’s build stadiums, but let’s build our educational and health systems. Let’s take care of our people.”