Protests Erupt in Italy After Death of Abderrahim Fakir

Protests in Bologna escalate after the death of Abderrahim Fakir, prompting clashes with police and calls for justice from human rights groups.

Teargas and water cannon were deployed against protesters in Bologna following the death of Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old Moroccan-born man who died while under police restraint. The dramatic events unfolded after Fakir, who had lived in Italy since childhood and ran a small removals and cleaning business, was seen pleading for help.

Witnesses reported that Fakir had been in distress prior to the incident on Sunday. Local residents had called the police due to his erratic behavior, and officers attempted to calmdown before resorting to pepper spray and physical restraint. Tragically, emergency service personnel were not alerted until after police had detained him. Video footage shows officers binding his ankles while failing to check his vital signs for some time, prompting a significant backlash.

Khadija, Fakir’s sister, expressed her outrage, stating, “You can’t die like this. The police have to protect us. If someone is agitated, you have to calm them down… not kill them like a dog.” Amid the unrest, human rights activists and opposition parties are demanding answers about the circumstances of his death.

Prosecutors have initiated an investigation and requested body cam footage from the officers involved. During protests that escalated late on Monday evening, demonstrators clashed with police, throwing firecrackers, prompting a strong police response using teargas and water cannons. In response to the unrest, a group of protesters gathered in a square holding a photograph of Fakir.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the United States six years ago, highlighting perceived systemic issues with law enforcement. Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi remarked that those who insult police show a lack of trust in law enforcement and the justice system. Meanwhile, Tommaso Foti, Minister for European Affairs, condemned the demonstrations, calling chants like “police murderers” disgraceful.

Supporting the police, far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also voiced his concern over the protests. In contrast, Ilaria Cucchi, a senator whose brother died in police custody in 2009, vehemently criticized the support expressed for law enforcement following such a tragic event. She conveyed her disgust over the reactions from the government and the police, pointing to a troubling cultural climate regarding race and violence.

Francesco Boccia, head of the center-left Democratic Party in the Senate, expressed his dismay at the idea of importing a harsh policing model to Italy, stating emphatically, “If the right wants to import the ICE model, this is the wrong country for it. We have democratic antibodies.”

Fakir’s case also resonated with Barbara Spinelli, a lawyer who met him last year when he sought to renew his stay permit. She described him as a respectful individual who was understandably anxious about his legal status in the country. She lamented the loss and questioned how to reassure others in similar situations that they are safe.