July 20, 2018 marked the first death anniversary of the Rif protest movement martyr Imad El Attab, a 22-year-old from the northern city of Al-Hoceima, who died after suffering severe head injuries, caused by a tear gas canister fired randomly by Morocco police to disperse a peaceful protest.
On July 20, Morocco police blocked a peaceful protest by the Rif protest movement in the northern Rif region, in the city of Al Hoceima. The demonstration called for the release of their leaders, such as Nasser Zafzafi and Nabil Ahamjik. Police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the peaceful protest, resulting in some injuries and dozens of protesters detained.
Following his death, The Crown Prosecutor in Al Hoceima announced that the National Brigade of Judiciary Police (BNPJ) will launch an investigation into the incident in order to establish the the truth and determine who is responsible for Attabi’s death and yet nothing is done about it, which made the relationship status much more complicated between Rif and the central government.
