The fresh protests were organised by the February 20 Movement, which has organised months of demonstrations calling for reforms in the Arab world's oldest reigning monarchy and denounced a new constitution as window-dressing.

Around 8,000 protestors chanted slogans denouncing corruption and calling for more equality in Casablanca's Oulfa neighbourhood, an AFP correspondent reported.

The February 20 Movement includes the Justice and Charity group -- an Islamist organisation that is officially banned but tolerated by the authorities -- as well as leftist militants and independent cyber-activists.

In the capital Rabat, around a thousand protestors also gathered on Bab El Had square in the city centre.

They were met by a handful of counter-demonstrators waving portraits of King Mohammed VI but no incident was reported.       

AFP