Violent Clashes Erupt at Moroccan Market as Ramadan Begins

Today’s Morocco, which reports the facts, evokes two bloody fights that took place at the beginning of Ramadan, particularly on Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8 last, i.e. the first two days of fasting. The scenes took place in Aïn Harrouda, which falls under the prefecture of Mohammedia.

On Tuesday, May 7, the daily reports, "a violent fight broke out during which there was the use of bladed weapons. The protagonists were none other than two street vendors of bananas." According to Today’s Morocco, the point of contention was none other than the reduction in the selling price of one dirham by one of the vendors, certainly in an effort to quickly sell his product. This did not please his competitor who "strongly protested" explaining to him that this would cause him losses. This was followed by an exchange of insults, then punches before drawing knives.

The second fight occurred the next day, Wednesday, May 8, just after the breaking of the fast. It is, details the newspaper, "a knife fight between two brothers and two friends. It would be a settling of scores." According to Today’s Morocco, "each of the two duos was armed with knives. The two friends largely got the upper hand as one of them managed to end the fight by inflicting knife blows to the face and thigh of one of the two brothers and to the head of the other."

According to the newspaper, in these various fights, the two vendors were "seriously injured" as were the two brothers and were evacuated to the emergency department of the Moulay Abdellah hospital in Mohammedia, while the two friends were arrested and held in custody.