Rotterdam’s mayor slammed by the Moroccan-Dutch community for banning a Hirak march

Rotterdam’s mayor Ahmed Boutaleb, who is of Moroccan descent, was accused of being a «puppet in the hands of the Moroccan government» by the Dutch-Moroccan community after banning a Hirak march.

Ahmed Boutaleb refused to give the go-ahead to a march of support for Hirak detainees, citing security measures, reports Dutch online newspaper Rijnmond.  

The mayor and city authorities said the event could provide an opportunity for groups of young people to engage in looting shops in the city center or commit acts of vandalism.

This argument did not convince the organizers of the march. Responding to critics, Ahmed Boutaleb told the same source that the ban was for the sake of the marchers.