- Title: Morocco police, protesters clash in northern town
- Date: 2nd June 2017
- Summary: IMZOUREN, MOROCCO (JUNE 2, 2017) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS CLAP AND CHANT FACING RIOT POLICE ACROSS SQUARE SIRENS, RIOT POLICE GATHER WITH SHIELDS, POLICE BLOCK ROAD LOOKING DOWN AT PROTESTERS RIOT POLICE FACE PROTESTERS, JET OF WATER CANON COMES FROM CROSSING STREET RIOT POLICE RUN AND WALK, SOUND OF BREAKING GLASS POLICE AND PROTESTERS THROW ROCKS AT EACH OTHER VIEW OF PROTESTERS THROUGH POLICE SHIELD POLICE THROW ROCKS POLICE THROW ROCKS PROTESTERS THROW ROCKS AT POLICE WHO BLOCK WITH SHIELDS POLICE OFFICER THROWS ROCK, COLLEAGUE BLOCKS INCOMING ROCK WITH SHIELD LINES OF POLICE LOOK DOWN ROAD AT GROUP OF PROTESTERS, ONE OF WHOM COMES CLOSER AND THROWS ROCK
- Embargoed: 16th June 2017 20:43
- Keywords: violence protesters police protests unrest Morocco
- Location: IMZOUREN, MOROCCO
- City: IMZOUREN, MOROCCO
- Country: Morocco
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JL7AYV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Moroccan police firing water cannon clashed with demonstrators in a provincial town on Friday (June 2) as protests against alleged corruption and abuses of power continued in the most serious unrest since the 2011 Arab Spring upheaval.
A Reuters reporter saw protesters tossing rocks and trash towards riot police in Imzouren, a town 450 km. (279 miles) northeast of the capital Rabat. Police responded occasionally with water cannon salvoes.
The clashes came after activist Nasser Zefzafi, the protest leader in the northern town of Al-Hoceima, was arrested at the start of the week and charged with threatening national security, among other offences.
Political protests are rare in the North African kingdom but tensions around Al-Hoceima have been high since October after a fishmonger was crushed inside a garbage truck while trying to salvage his fish confiscated by the police.
Mouhcine Fikri's death has become a symbol for frustrations over official abuses and revived the spirit of the February 20 movement that spearheaded pro-democracy rallies in 2011 and prompted King Mohammed VI to cede some of his powers. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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