(Bloomberg) — Morocco’s most serious wave of unrest since the Arab Spring turned deadly overnight, escalating youth-led protests over poor public services and heavy spending for the 2030 football World Cup.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across cities in the North African kingdom again late Wednesday, in events that mirror recent “Gen Z” protests in places like Nepal and Madagascar.

Two people were killed and several others wounded in the southern town of Lqliaa, near Agadir, after Royal Gendarmerie officers opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators. Authorities told the state-run MAP news agency they’d acted in self defense to prevent their weapons being stolen.

Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said Thursday the death toll had risen to three, in a televised address in which

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