Bologna police custody death triggers protests and political row
The death of a Moroccan-born man during police restraint in Bologna has sparked violent protests and a fierce political debate over state force and public order in Italy.
Several thousand people protested in Bologna on Monday night after Abderrahim Fakir, a Moroccan-born man, died while being forcibly restrained by police. A splinter group later clashed with officers into the night, leaving 64 police hurt.
Police were called on Sunday to the working-class Pilastro neighbourhood, where Fakir, who ran a small logistics company and was seeking a residency permit, was kicking garage doors. Video footage shows two officers pinning him face down while a civilian held his legs, until he stopped moving.
Bologna prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation against the two officers and the medical workers present. "They killed him mercilessly, and I want the truth," his sister Khadija told Italian media. Barbara Spinelli, the lawyer handling Fakir's residency request, questioned why he died at the hands of those tasked with protecting his life.
The fallout has disrupted public order in one of Italy's most economically vital northern cities. After a peaceful main rally led by Mayor Matteo Lepore, a splinter group of about 100 people set two cars alight and clashed with police.
The unrest has immediately exposed deep political divisions over state force. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni insisted the death must be investigated but stated "nothing can justify violence against police." She accused those who set the city ablaze, saying they "were not seeking the truth: they were seeking confrontation."
Opposition politicians strongly rejected the government's default support for law enforcement. Senator Ilaria Cucchi, whose brother died in police custody in 2009, criticised the official solidarity expressed to the police. Francesco Boccia of the Democratic Party warned that "if the right wants to import the ICE model, this is the wrong country for it."
The police union pushed back against the political criticism. Secretary-General Domenico Pianese argued that the need for civilian assistance proved force was not excessive. He blamed Mayor Lepore for calling a demonstration that attracted "pseudo-anarchists and those who are anti-police" to "take advantage and protest against the state."
