Protests in Italy after Moroccan man dies during arrest

Demonstrations erupted in Bologna following the death of Abderrahim Fakir, a Moroccan entrepreneur who died while in police custody on Sunday. Hundreds of residents gathered on Monday evening to protest the circumstances of his detention, which police initiated after reports of aggressive behaviour. The incident has become a focal point for broader political tensions within Italy, drawing reactions across the country's political spectrum.

Footage of the arrest, recorded by a local resident and widely circulated online, shows Fakir lying face-down on the ground while two officers restrain him. Throughout the restraint, he can be heard repeatedly calling for help before becoming silent. Officers subsequently bound his ankles and only then checked his vital signs. According to media accounts, police deployed pepper spray and held him down while attempting to handcuff him after he resisted.

The death has prompted immediate legal action, with Bologna prosecutors opening an inquiry under a newly established legal procedure and requesting bodycam footage from the officers involved. Fakir's family has expressed anguish over the incident, with one of his brothers telling the Corriere Della Sera newspaper that his brother had sought help but was killed instead.

The incident has divided Italy's political leadership. Far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and other government allies have publicly defended the officers' conduct. In contrast, opposition figures have criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition for creating a climate hostile to accountability. Centre-left legislator Francesco Boccia has warned against Italy adopting what he characterized as an "ICE model" of American policing. The city's mayor and major trade unions have backed the Monday evening protests.