<p>Thousands marched through the streets of Rabat on June 11 in a protest against corruption and abuses of power by Moroccan government officials.</p><p>Protesters were showing solidarity with activists in al-Hoceima</a>, where dozens of arrests have been made in recent weeks</p><p>Local media reports estimated that 15,000 Rabat residents</a> marched along King Mohamed VI Avenue before converging on northern Rabat’s Bab el-Had Square. The protest was organized by a wide range of civil society groups and political parties, including the somewhat controversial Islamist Justice and Charity Organization</a> (Al-Adl Wal Ihsane).</p><p>The demonstration in Rabat came on the heels of a recent police operation against protesters in the northern city of Al-Hoceima</a>, where over 140 members of the al-Hirak al-Shaabi, the Popular Movement, an activist group, have been arrested, according to activists who spoke directly to Storyful.</p><p>Amongst those arrested include prominent Moroccan activist Nasser Zafzafi</a>., who was arrested in late May after being identified by state security apparatuses as the orchestrator of protests in al-Hoceima.</p><p>The protest movement in the northern Moroccan town has been growing since October 2016 when a local fish vendor was reportedly crushed to death inside a garbage truck while trying to recover stock seized by officials.</p><br />
