The Hirak protest movement began in Al Hoceima in late 2016 after fish merchant Mohsin Fikri died in a garbage truck while trying to prevent authorities from destroying his seized swordfish. Thousands protested for better hospitals and schools, regional development and dignity. The movement was suppressed in spring 2017, and prominent protesters, including leader Nasser Zefzafi, were imprisoned; Zefzafi is serving a 20-year sentence, while activist Mohamed Jelloul is serving ten years.

A decade later, the streets of Al Hoceima are quiet, but activists and residents say the movement’s demands remain unresolved. Human rights activist Zohra Koubia said the city had gained a hospital but that it lacked effective facilities, while six prominent Hirak leaders were still in prison. The account also said that later protests, including those led by Generation Z, faced repression, and that young people were leaving the region.