Police say nearly 200 people have been arrested as the north African nation is rocked by biggest protests in years.

Hundreds of young protesters have taken to the streets across Morocco in what has been described as some of the country’s largest antigovernment demonstrations in years, seeking better government services as well as an end to corruption.

Demonstrators have demanded urgent investment in public health and education and denounced what they see as misplaced national priorities.

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The protests, organised by a grassroots movement calling itself GenZ 212, spread to at least 11 cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakesh and Agadir.

Authorities moved quickly to contain the demonstrations, with police saying nearly 200 people were arrested since Saturday.

Footage shared on the GenZ 212 Facebook account appeared to show police charging into crowds, seizing demonstrators and forcing a young woman into the back of a van.

“Systematic violence [has been used] against a group of young people who were demonstrating peacefully,” Hakim Sikouk of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights told the AFP news agency.

“Security forces responded violently. We condemn these arrests and deem it unacceptable to take a security-oriented approach to the social demands of a group of young people.”

Opposition parties have urged the government to engage in dialogue with protesters, who are demanding employment opportunities, improved health services, and better schools.

Anger over public services

Analysts say the protests are in response to years of neglect in public services and urgent reforms in the education and health sectors. Earlier this month, the deaths of eight pregnant women at a public hospital prompted widespread outrage.

“Today we came out to defend and demand the rights for my daughter,” one protester, whose name was not revealed, was heard as saying in a social media video shared online.

“Our time has passed without any improvement. As you can see, the oppressive police are here today to beat and arrest protesters,” he said.

Many demonstrators have also criticised the government’s multibillion-dollar investment in football infrastructure as Morocco prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations next year and co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Protesters say this contrasts sharply with what they describe as a crisis in public services.

According to the World Health Organization, Morocco has fewer than eight doctors per 10,000 people – well below the recommended 25.

Leaderless and online-driven

The GenZ 212 movement emerged only two weeks ago, but has quickly gained traction.

It operates without leaders or formal ties to political parties or unions, relying instead on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Discord to mobilise supporters.

“This is a decentralised, leaderless and fluid organisation, or let’s say, network,” said Mohammed Masbah, director of the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis.

“They don’t have any leader and are not affiliated to any political party or union. That makes it difficult for authorities to negotiate or co-opt them because they don’t know who they are.”

On its Facebook page, the group called for “peaceful demonstrations … to express popular demands related to health, education and social justice”.

Al Jazeera has reached out to the Moroccan government for comment.