'We are not afraid': Moroccans protest after 'horrifying' sexual assault video

"We are not afraid! Liberate public space!" chanted the protesters, gathered in the centre of Morocco's economic capital, near where the assault took place.

On Monday, six teenage suspects were arrested after footage emerged online showing bare-chested teenagers assaulting a weeping young woman in broad daylight, laughing as they touched her private parts.

"The suspects, who are aged between 15 and 17, have been arrested and charged over the alleged sexual assault of a young woman in Casablanca, and have been placed under police surveillance," a police statement said.

The suspects were detained following an "intensive investigation" after the video purportedly showed them forcibly undressing the young distressed girl while being cheered on by men aboard the bus.

"Nobody can remain indifferent... It concerns us all," said actress and theatre director Fatym Layachi, who was among around 300 protesters.

I can't imagine how many similar dramas happen every day on buses or elsewhere in public places. This has to stop

"It just so happens that this drama was filmed, we heard about it. I can't imagine how many similar dramas happen every day on buses or elsewhere in public places. This has to stop."

Oum, a well-known Moroccan singer, said: "I could have been that girl... I am here to say that we have to educate our children better."

Mohammad, an advertising executive in his 30s, said such incidents were common in Morocco. "Unfortunately we don't talk about it much," he said. 

Local media wrote of "Horror in Casablanca" and called the attackers "monsters", saying Morocco, torn between modernity and conservatism, was facing a "crisis of values".

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights condemned the attack that took place in the presence of the bus driver and a group of passengers – none of whom attempted to stop the incident.

The organisation called for "an immediate and serious investigation into the suspicious event and public awareness of its results, with the necessary legal measures being taken against anyone involved in this disgraceful act".

The latest incident came less than two weeks after footage of men hounding a young woman walking alone in the northern city of Tangier was shared widely on social media, sparking a heated debate.

Morocco officially champions a tolerant version of Islam, but women are frequently subjected to insults, derogatory remarks and other sexist attacks in public.

Official figures show that nearly two-thirds of Moroccan woman have suffered violent attacks, often in public places.

Agencies contributed to this report