The protest started on the night of October 9, 2010, when a group of a few Saharawis erected a protest camp in a place known as Gdeim Izik, 12 km. south-east of El Aaiun. The number of protesters increased rapidly in the first weeks from a few hundred "Khaimas" (traditional tents) to several thousands, coming from other towns of Western Sahara and southern Morocco.

In the first week of November, its population was estimated between 5,000 and 20,000 inhabitants. Additional camps were erected in the outskirts of Bojador, Dekhla and Smara, The primary objective of the camp was to protest against "ongoing discrimination, poverty and human rights abuses against local citizens", but later some protesters demanded the independence for Western Sahara.