Anti-government demonstrators in Morocco filled the streets for a fifth straight night, as protests over the state of public services once again descended into violence and destruction.

The so-called “Gen Z protests,” driven largely by internet-savvy youth, have emerged as the country’s largest in years.

Despite lacking official authorization, the demonstrations are spreading to new areas, underscoring growing anger at what participants call rampant corruption and neglect of schools and hospitals.

Protesters have contrasted the government’s billions in World Cup preparations with the dire state of public services.

In Sale, a working-class city near the capital Rabat, an Associated Press reporter witnessed hundreds of masked teenagers torching cars, banks and shops while smashing windows.

Local media and witnesses reported similar unrest in the south and east, including Inzegane, Ait Amira and Oujda, where a police vehicle rammed into demonstrators, leaving one person injured.

The Interior Ministry said 409 people were arrested since protests began Saturday, with 263 security forces injured along with 23 civilians.

Authorities said 142 police vehicles and 20 private cars were damaged.

Amnesty International urged Moroccan authorities to address protesters’ “legitimate demands” for social and economic rights.

Organizers, posting on Discord, pleaded with demonstrators to remain peaceful and decried what they called “repressive security approaches.”

The movement, galvanized on TikTok and Discord, has echoed similar youth-led unrest abroad.

Protesters chant, “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?” pointing to recent hospital deaths and alleged corruption.

Morocco is preparing to host the Africa Cup of Nations this year and the 2030 World Cup, while parliamentary elections loom in 2026.

Officials have denied prioritizing stadiums over services, but the protests have spotlighted stark regional disparities and disillusionment among Morocco’s youth.