Algerian TV channel Echourouk parodied Moroccan King Mohammed VI in a satirical talk show, sparking widespread discontent in Morocco and on social media.
Activists expressed their anger at what they described as “immature behavior” that threatens the good neighborliness between the two countries.
Internet users in Morocco denounced the show using the hashtag “our King is a red line,” and a number of activists published and circulated pictures of King Mohammed VI and video clips highlighting Morocco’s history.
Some users even called for severing the diplomatic relations with Algeria and expelling the Algerian ambassador, while others called for the need to maintain restraint and move forward in the development process.
Moroccan Minister of State for Human Rights and Relations with Parliament, Mustafa Ramid, warned that encroaching on the country's institutions and national symbols, led by the King, “is unacceptable and intolerable.”
Ramid published a post on his Facebook page calling for a unified position, rejecting the transgression in defense of the country’s symbols.
The National Association of Media and Editors also issued a statement describing the “immoral attacks” of the Algerian channel as “vulgar and degenerate”, saying that the act has nothing to do with the ethics of the journalistic profession.
The statement warned Algerian media of its behavior attacking the King, who "enjoys respect in Morocco and abroad."
