Moroccan immigrants in Europe are accused of spreading the coronavirus in their homeland after the Ministry of Health recorded the first case for a citizen coming back from in Italy early in March.
Following that, a number of cases were confirmed among Moroccan immigrants from Spain and France who arrived in the country after the spread of the virus abroad. The epidemiological situation in the country later became limited to local cases after authorities shut the borders with different countries of the world.
Moroccan authorities have responded strictly to the campaign against the Moroccan immigrants living abroad. They arrested a 46-year-old Moroccan on March 30, who broadcasted a video on social media insulting Moroccan immigrants and inciting discrimination and hatred against them.
The woman accused Moroccan immigrants of spreading the virus in their country, adding that the dead should be cremated.
The Moroccan security services described such statements as "despicable and insulting for the Moroccan citizens residing abroad", and stated that the video included explicit defamation and incitement to hatred against them, due to the developments of COVID-19 at the global level.
Moroccans widely condemned the video and lauded the authorities’ response to it.
Opinions varied between Moroccans arguing that immigrants should return to the country after the outbreak of the virus in Europe, and others who demanded that they stay in their countries of residence to prevent the virus spread in their homeland.
Weeks before the outbreak of the virus, a number of bullying cases against foreigners having Asian features were recorded in Morocco.
In Tangier for instance, a taxi driver recounted how many drivers before him refused to take a Japanese university professor who was putting a face mask for fear of contracting the virus. He said that after much hesitation, he felt sorry for the passenger and took her to her destination.
