The death of a young fish-seller has sparked protest in the Moroccan town of Al Hoceima, evoking memories of the opening chapter of the Arab Spring.
Mohsen Fikri, 31, reportedly threw himself into a garbage truck after authorities confiscated the fish he was selling. He was crushed to death in the back of the vehicle. Other reports suggested he may have become involved in an altercation with authorities after they asked him to pay a bribe to continue trading in the port city, according to Al Araby.
Photographs of the young man’s body quickly began circulating online fuelling protest and outrage, and photographs of protests, ongoing since Friday, suggest thousands have taken to the streets. The hashtag #WeAreAllMohsenFikri became popular.
جانب من مظاهرات في مدينة #الحسيمة #كلنا_محسن_فكري #طحن_مو pic.twitter.com/LFAg5JrU9y
— سميرة الريفية (@hananeacademy11) 29 October 2016
On Twitter, Moroccans expressed their anger at the death of the young man.
Only in #Morocco u will be crushed to the death in the garbage truck just because u are trying to make ur daily bread #طحن_مو #crush_him
— alae Eddine mejdoub (@alaemejdoub) 30 October 2016
Many commentators took particular issue with the behaviour of the rich and powerful, in and out of the government, that made it difficult for ordinary people to make a living.
#طحن_مو...
— رصد المغربية (@rassdmaroc) 30 October 2016
مافيا صيد السمك تعطى لها أكريمات ملكية للبيع أو الصيد أو النقل...ممنوع على الصياد المغربي البيع مباشر للمواطن المغربي.
Fishing mafias have special royal per villages to sell, fish or transport… Moroccan fisherman can not sell directly to Moroccan citizens.
#طحن_مو This man was killed in a trash truck over making a living legaly and tying to save the fish he invested all his money in. #Morocco pic.twitter.com/HbeAFYyAkY
— Hind Touissate (@AccordingtoHind) 29 October 2016
Many tweeters said the police had been directly responsible for Fikri’s death – and had even ordered his killing – although the circumstances surrounding the incident are at present unclear.
Moroccan citizen killed by police crushed in the garbage grinder
— ناشط من المريخ (@OPantila) 30 October 2016
Where are human rights??? #طحن_مو pic.twitter.com/Ilxhl9LzMz
In 2011, the “Arab Spring” began after Mohammed Bouazizi, a street seller in Tunisia, set himself alight following a dispute with police. In April this year a Moroccan street vendor self-immolated under similar circumstances and a 30-year-old Egyptian taxi driver set himself alight this month in protest at poor living conditions in Egypt.
BS
