AhlulBayt News Agency: Two university students and a printing shop owner in Morocco have been arrested for allegedly “displaying provocative slogans” after customizing national football jerseys with messages supporting Palestine and the demands of the GenZ 212 protest movement.
Local media reported that the students, based in Rabat, purchased two Atlas Lions shirts last Saturday and visited a shop to print the slogans “Free Palestine” and “Education and health are a right for all.”
Shortly after, the students were detained on a prominent avenue in the capital, along with the shop owner, and all three were placed under arrest.
They were brought before the prosecutor at the Rabat Court of First Instance and now face charges while in custody for “carrying incitful slogans.”
The arrests occurred amid ongoing unrest in Morocco, where the GenZ 212 youth movement has led widespread protests for nearly two weeks, demanding reforms in education, healthcare, and the judiciary.
GenZ 212 reiterated its demands, emphasizing accountability for corruption and government responsibility for deteriorating social and economic conditions.
Protesters have criticized the government’s heavy spending on stadiums for the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, contrasting it with the chronic underfunding of public services.
Founded in late September, GenZ 212 has built a strong online presence, with over 200,000 members on Discord.
Authorities initially banned the protests and have detained hundreds. In Rabat, 179 people were released on bail, while six remain in custody, according to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights.
Despite the movement’s peaceful stance, clashes broke out on the fringes of demonstrations over two nights last week, resulting in three deaths, including a film graduate who was documenting the events.
Although Morocco officially supports the Palestinian cause and permits pro-Palestine rallies, activists have condemned increasing repression over the past two years, citing numerous arrests.
In March, an appellate court upheld suspended prison sentences for 13 members of the Moroccan Front for Support of Palestine and Against Normalization, who were arrested during a peaceful sit-in outside a Carrefour store in Sale.
Following an urgent appeal by MENA Rights Group, UN experts contacted the Moroccan government to express concern over the detentions, stating that the actions of the human rights defenders were consistent with international civil disobedience norms.
GenZ 212 has directly appealed to King Mohammed VI to enact reforms.
In a Friday speech, the king urged the government to accelerate progress in education and healthcare, though he did not mention the protests.
He stated that Morocco is “paving a steady path toward greater social and territorial justice,” and called for focused attention on the country’s poorest regions.
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