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BRISSELS: The EU has called on “all parties” to “keep calm” in Morocco, which has been rocked by anti-corruption protests.
“We recognize the importance of youth participation in public life and call on all parties involved to keep calm,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said in Brussels.
The group leading Morocco’s mass protests called on Friday for the government’s dismissal, following days of unrest.
The demand came after fresh demonstrations demanding reforms to the health and education sectors took place on Thursday, a sixth consecutive day of largely peaceful protests pockmarked with spates of violence.
“We demand the dismissal of the current government for its failure to protect the constitutional rights of Moroccans and respond to their social demands,” protest group GenZ 212 said.
The group, whose organizers remain unknown, also demanded the “release of all those detained in connection with the peaceful protests.”
The rallies across the usually stable country have been fueled by anger over social inequality, particularly following reports last month of the deaths of eight pregnant women at a public hospital in the city of Agadir.
Many Moroccans feel that the public health and education sectors should be improved as the kingdom pushes forward with major infrastructure projects to host the Africa Cup of Nations in December and part of the 2030 World Cup.
GenZ 212 has largely used the Discord online messaging platform to spread its calls for protest, and has repeatedly distanced itself from the violence and vandalism seen in some cities.
In the capital Rabat on Thursday, demonstrators carrying Moroccan flags demanded “health and not just stadiums,” according to  journalist, who said there were no violent incidents.
Other rallies were reported in Casablanca, Marrakech and Agadir, also with no sign of unrest.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said in his first public address since the unrest started that his government was willing to “engage in dialogue” and “respond to the (protesters’) demands.”

LONDON: The UK Foreign Office has voiced its concern over the fate of around 470 activists set to be taken by Israeli authorities to a prison in the Negev Desert.

The activists — including environmentalist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and a former Royal Air Force pilot — were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla trying to break the siege of Gaza.

They were arrested by Israeli forces in international waters before being transferred to the city of Ashdod for processing.

Before being boarded, Thunberg posted a video message to social media saying: “If you’re watching this video, I’ve been abducted and taken against my will by Israeli forces. Our humanitarian mission was non-violent and abiding by international law.”

Many of the activists will be taken to Ketziot prison, which is known for violent treatment of Palestinian detainees, for several days before they are deported.

Clare Azzougarh, daughter of 72-year-old RAF veteran Malcolm Ducker, told The Times: “This is where they keep Palestinians accused of terrorism, so I have concerns about their welfare — this looks punitive.

“They said it is because there are so many of them and they need to keep them together but I don’t believe that for a second.”

She said she had seen footage of her father being hit with water cannons fired by Israeli military vessels.

“The people on his boat all decided to ditch their phones when they were intercepted to avoid their data and contacts being taken by the Israelis,” she added.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, posted on X: “I think they must be kept here in an Israeli prison for a few months, so that they can smell the scent of the terrorist wing.

“There can be no situation in which the prime minister sends them again and again and again to their countries — and this sending causes them to return again and again and again.”

The UK Foreign Office said it is “very concerned” about the wellbeing of the activists, with South Africa, Colombia, Spain, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan lodging official protests with Israel at their detention.

A Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement: “We are very concerned about the situation with the Sumud flotilla. We are in touch with the families of a number of British nationals involved and we have been in contact with the Israeli authorities to make clear that we expect the situation to be resolved safely, in line with international law and with due respect for the rights of all those on board.

“The aid carried by the flotilla should be turned over to humanitarian organisations on the ground to be delivered safely into Gaza.”

Four Italian MPs aboard the flotilla were released quickly, the country’s Foreign Ministry said, after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni claimed that the flotilla could endanger peace talks to end the war in Gaza and condemned strikes in her country in protest against the arrests.

Around 30,000 people took to the streets of Milan on Friday as train services nationwide were canceled.

The day before, protesters targeted a conference in Turin due to host EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, while 10,000 people marched through Rome on Wednesday.

Protests were also held in Florence and Bologna, as well as in Greece, Germany, Tunisia and Turkiye. On Thursday, as many as 150,000 people marched through Barcelona in Spain.