Hirak Rif Movement

Hirak Rif Movement
Part of the Rif Conflict
Date	28 October 2016 – August 2017
Location	Rif region, northern Morocco
Caused by	Death of Mouhcine Fikri Police brutality Unemployment Corruption Poverty Militarization of the Rif region Authoritarianism
Methods	Mass demonstrations Civil disobedience Online activism Lobbying Boycott of royal-owned companies
Resulted in	Riots suppressed[1] Protests dispersed by 2017 Arrest of Nasser Zefzafi Arrest of other protest leaders
Parties
Moroccan government Royal Moroccan Armed Forces Royal Moroccan Police Force Riffian protestors
Lead figures
Mohammed VI Abdelilah Benkirane (October 2016–March 2017) Saadeddine Othmani (March 2017–August 2017) Nasser Zefzafi Hamid El Mahdaoui
Casualties
Death(s)	At least 1 in Imzouren
Injuries	Numerous civilians, but unaccounted for because of the palace-imposed media blockade 788 authorities[2]
Arrested	400+

The Hirak Rif Movement or the Rif Movement (Berber languages: ⴰⵎⵓⵙⵙⵓ ⵏ ⴰⵕⵉⴼ, Arabic: حراك الريف, lit. 'Movement of the Rif') is a popular resistance movement that organised mass protests in the Berber Rif region in northern Morocco between October 2016 and June 2017. The movement was triggered by the death of Mouhcine Fikri, a fishmonger who was crushed to death after jumping in the back of a garbage truck attempting to retrieve his allegedly illegal fish merchandise confiscated by local authorities.^[3]

The protests were met with great repression, leading to violent clashes between the police and protesters in various cities and towns, mainly in the Al Hoceima, Driouch, and Nador provinces. The authorities arrested more than 150 Moroccans, considered by the regime as key players or media activists affiliated with the movement, including Nasser Zefzafi, the Hirak Rif's leader.