The mobilization of young people in Marrakech, who have kept up their demonstrations since September 27, has not deterred tourists. The iconic Djemaa El-Fna square in the Moroccan city is packed with visitors every day by late morning, and even more so when night falls and cools the stifling atmosphere of this human hive by a few degrees. According to the latest figures from the Regional Tourism Council of Marrakech-Safi, Marrakech saw more than 4 million visitors in 2024.

But since the start of the Generation Z (Gen Z) protests, the major tourist city has presented a somewhat different image from the one it usually projects. For two days, on September 28 and 29, young Gen Z protesters set up next to the snake charmers and henna tattoo artists of Djemaa El-Fna. About 50 of them were briefly detained before the group chose a new gathering place: the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

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