Tension rises in Morocco ahead of UN summit

Thousands of Moroccans took to the streets in a northern city on Monday protesting for the fourth day over the death of a fishmonger crushed in a garbage truck after a confrontation with police who confiscated his produce. 11 people were arrested over the death of a fish seller whose crushing in a rubbish truck sparked widespread demonstrations, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Morocco's protests erupted at a sensitive moment as the kingdom prepares to host the 2016 United Nations climate change conference (COP22 Marrakesh 2016) in November and the prime minister begins to form a coalition government after elections this month.

"Protests will continue until all the responsible for that crime are punished," said Al-Houssine Lmrabet, one of the protests organizers. "We also want guarantees that this will not happen again. This should start by cleaning the public administration of corrupted people."

The death in Al Hoceima on Friday of Mouhcine Fikri has triggered one of the largest protests nationwide since 2011 when the February 20 movement organized demonstrations for democratic reform inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings across the region.

The Moroccan Human Rights Association condemned the "heinous" incident and recalled another incident in Hoceima, in which five youths died during 2011 protests of the February 20th Movement.

That movement emerged amid the Arab Spring uprisings that began in Tunisia when vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after police confiscated his wares. Bouazizi became a symbol of struggle against unemployment, police abuse, corruption and authoritarian governments.

Large-scale protests are rare in Morocco, where the king still holds ultimate sway. Morocco calmed Arab Spring-style protests in 2011 with reforms, spending and tougher security while leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were swept from power.

Smaller protests were also held on Monday evening in several other cities and towns including the capital Rabat, the eastern city of Oujda and the central town of Settat. High school students protested earlier on Monday in the northern town, activists said.

In an effort to calm tensions, King Mohamed, currently on a tour of Africa, ordered the interior minister to visit the victim's family and present royal condolences. The government also promised an investigation.

Mouhcine Fikri had fish confiscated by police on Friday after he bought it at the port. Local authorities have banned swordfish fishing and sales in this season. According to local media and authorities, Fikri jumped inside the trash truck that police used to destroy the confiscated fish in a desperate attempt to recover it and he was caught inside the crusher. Activists accused police officers of ordering garbage men to crush Fikri, but the Moroccan police (DGSN) denied those accusations in a statement on Sunday.