Demonstrations follow Moroccan man’s death during police detention in Italy
Death of Moroccan businessman sparks protests, demands for accountability and accusations of excessive police force across Italy
BOLOGNA, Italy (MNTV) — Hundreds of people protested in the northern Italian city of Bologna after a Moroccan man died while being pinned to the ground by police during an arrest, prompting widespread condemnation and renewed scrutiny of law enforcement practices in Italy.
The victim, 42-year-old Moroccan entrepreneur Abderrahim Fakir, died after police restrained him following reports of aggressive behavior.
Video footage recorded by a local resident and widely circulated online shows Fakir lying face down as two officers hold him to the ground while he repeatedly cries, “Help, help, that’s enough,” before falling silent.
The footage appears to show officers binding his ankles before checking his condition, fueling public anger and drawing comparisons with the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the United States.
Demonstrators gathered near the scene of the incident, with many kneeling and raising their fists in a gesture associated with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Additional protests backed by Bologna’s mayor and major labor unions were held the following day, demanding justice and accountability.
According to media reports, police used pepper spray and continued restraining Fakir while attempting to handcuff him. His family accused officers of using excessive force, with one of his brothers saying Fakir had pleaded for help before losing his life.
Bologna prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident under a newly introduced legal procedure and have requested body camera footage from the officers involved to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
Opposition leaders accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government of creating a climate that encourages heavy-handed policing and demanded a full investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and other members of the governing coalition defended the officers’ actions and voiced support for the police.
Critics said the case has renewed concerns over police conduct and the treatment of migrants and ethnic minorities in Italy, with calls for an independent investigation to establish responsibility for Fakir’s death.
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