Moroccans rally against Maersk cargo ship 'carrying F-35 parts' for Israel

Clashes erupted in Morocco's northern city of Tangier on Sunday as protesters rallied against the planned docking of a Maersk cargo ship said to be carrying parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel.

At 16:30 local time (15:30 GMT), protesters set off from the Iberia Palace in central Tangier, a twenty-minute walk from the city's port.

Though the port mainly handles ferries and passenger traffic, its location near the old medina made it a potent symbol of Tangier's strategic coastal role and, according to the Moroccan Front for Palestine, its "responsibility not to become a gateway for facilitating genocide".

The protest was directed at the Maersk Detroit, which was expected to dock in the early hours of Monday at the Tangier Med Port, an industrial complex an hour outside the city.

There, the cargo was to be transferred onto the Maersk Nexoe for onward shipment to Haifa, according to activists.

Dockworkers' unions and pro-Palestine groups said in separate statements that the cargo had included spare parts for American-made F-35 warplanes destined for Israel.

"We sent a letter to the Moroccan government detailing the ship's contents and how dangerous this transfer is, but they refuse to take us seriously", said Sion Assidon, a veteran activist and founder of Morocco's BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, urging authorities to intervene and investigate.

Earlier that day, nearly 1,000 people had gathered outside the gates of Tangier Med port. That protest remained peaceful for two hours, with no major clashes reported.

Port authorities at Tangier Med have repeatedly stated they are "not aware of the contents of containers transiting through global shipping routes or stopping temporarily at our facilities."

When contacted by local media earlier this month, Maersk confirmed it was transporting F-35 components, but claimed the shipment was not intended for Israel. Instead, the company said, it was destined for other members of the joint fighter jet programme.

TNA reached out to Maersk for further information but received no response by the time of publication.

Across the Strait of Gibraltar, a parallel protest was held at the entrance to the port of Algeciras on Sunday 20 April.

Organised by Cádiz for Palestine, the demonstration condemned Maersk's alleged involvement in the transport of military equipment to Israel and called on the Spanish government to ban such vessels from docking in Algeciras, Valencia, and Barcelona.

Lats year, Spain denied the docking of a Maersk ship suspected of carrying weapons to Israel under the pressure of pro-Palestine groups;

Back in Tangier, while the protest's immediate focus was Maersk, demonstrators also raised broader concerns: American support for Israel, France's repression of pro-Palestinian movements, and restrictions on public freedoms within the North African kingdom.

"France is a colonial power still practising colonialism by targeting those who stand up for Palestine and against the genocide in Gaza," said Assidon as the protest made its first stop in front of the French embassy in Tangier.

Since the start of the war on Gaza, France has escalated its crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, banning protests, prosecuting supporters, dissolving organisations, and even entertaining proposals to revoke the citizenship of officials expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

These policies have drawn sharp criticism, particularly in North Africa, where France's colonial legacy remains deeply felt.

The protest took a more confrontational turn when authorities blocked demonstrators from passing by the Tangier American Legation, a historic building that once served as the US embassy.

Organisers diverted the protest through the old medina's narrow alleys, where hundreds marched shoulder to shoulder in tight passageways. Tensions flared when protesters accused police of intentionally funnelling them into confined spaces.

Authorities cited security concerns and urged protesters to move slowly until reaching the palace adjacent to the Tangier City Port, where a heavy police presence had cordoned off the area.

The Medina, a popular tourist destination, was sealed off for four hours. The protest ended around 21:00 local time (20:00 GMT), though several skirmishes broke out as some demonstrators attempted to breach police lines.

Similar scenes played out in Casablanca, where activists once again attempted to reach the city's port for the second time in a week and were stopped by authorities. The Maersk Nexoe, believed to be the vessel set to carry Detroit's cargo onward to Israel, was docked at the city's port.

"This is a violation of our country's sovereignty (...) allowing these genocidal ships to dock on our shores. The Moroccan people have made their stance clear," said Hassan Bennajeh, a senior figure in Al-Adl Wal Ihsane, the country's largest Islamist movement.

Protesters in both Tangier and Casablanca also called for Morocco to cut diplomatic ties with Israel, which were normalised in late 2020 under the controversial, US-led Abraham Accords.

While relations have cooled since the Gaza war began, Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed last year that normalisation remains intact, arguing that diplomatic engagement does not amount to an endorsement of Israeli policy.

Although Moroccan lawmakers and senior officials have condemned the war and demanded an immediate ceasefire, activists continue to push for stronger measures, starting with the closure of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat.