RABAT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Some 350 people have been detained over protests in Morocco's northeastern city of Al Hociema, local media reported on Saturday.

Citing judicial sources, Alyaoum24.com news site noted that only 32 arrested were sentenced.

The source said that the detainees are sent into jails in Al Hoceima and neighboring Nador, while most leaders of the protests are detained in Casablanca.

The situation in Al Hoceima has been tense since October 2016, when fish vendor Mouhcine Fikri was crushed to death after climbing into a rubbish lorry to retrieve his swordfish confiscated by police.

The demand for justice for Fikri in the northeastern region has evolved into a major grassroots movement to require greater government investment to create more jobs.

Morocco has not witnessed any protests of this size since the pro-democracy demonstrations during the Arab spring in 2011. Enditem

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