Morocco: Clashes in Jerada March 14 /update 10

Event

On Wednesday, March 14, clashes broke out between protesters and police in Jerada during a sit-in held to protest the government's warning a day earlier to protesters that authorities were willing to exercise "firm responses to irresponsible behavior." Security forces reportedly  surrounded the demonstration and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Protesters reportedly set fire to several police cars and threw stones. An unspecified number of officers were taken to the hospital for injuries. According to officials, nine protesters have been detained.

Additional protests, heightened security measures, clashes between protesters and police, and localized traffic disruptions are possible in Jerada in the coming days and weeks.

Context

Various demonstrations have been held in Jerada since December 2017 to demand job creation, economic development, and lower water and electricity prices. The protests started after two young people died while attempting to extract coal from a closed pit near the city.

Mining was a major industry in Jerada province until the 1970s when most mines were closed. Due to the lack of other sources of income, local residents continue, at their own risk, to extract resources from the closed mines. Another miner died in an abandoned coal mine on the outskirts of Jerada on February 1.

Advice

Individuals in Morocco, particularly in Jerada province, are advised to monitor developments to the situation and avoid public demonstrations as a precaution.