Monday, July 20, 2026 - A migrant has di£d after he was pepper sprayed and hogtied by Italian cops, sparking a protest.
Abderrahim Fakir, 42, di£d while handcuffed in Bologna on
Sunday, July 19, after police scrambled to reports of the Moroccan
man behaving erratically.
His d£ath has drawn comparisons to the d£ath
of George Floyd who di£d after a police officer knelt on his
neck during an arrest in Minneapolis, US, in May 2020.
Footage showed two police officers pinning Fakir, who ran a
small cleaning business in the city, face-down to the ground as he screamed for
help.
A third person, believed to be a resident of the Pilastro
neighbourhood, was seen holding his feet down as the officers restrained
him.
The video also shows two paramedics standing around them and
three other people spectating as the struggle unfolded.
Fakir could be heard desperately crying out for the officers
to stop restraining him.
“Help, enough, enough,” Fakir begged.
Local media reported police used pepper spray on the
42-year-old during the confrontation.
Fakir was heard begging for water as the encounter went on
for several minutes.
His movements eventually stopped as he appeared to lose
consciousness before officers and a local resident were seen tying his feet
together.
Police had been called after residents reported a man
shouting and acting agitated in the area.
Authorities said Fakir allegedly struck a police vehicle
before officers arrived and attempted to contain him.
According to local police, officers were called by residents
who had “reported an angry person… other residents assisted them in containing
the individual after a car was damaged.”
They added: “After containment operations, which were
carried out in the presence of paramedics, the man di£d.”
Police said bodycam footage from the incident would be made
available to judicial authorities.
It remains unclear how Fakir di£d, with reports suggesting he may have suffered
a severe asthma attack or cardiac arrest.
Prosecutors have ordered an autopsy to establish the cause
of d£ath.
As the investigation continues, Fakir’s family
have spoken of their heartbreak and demanded answers over his final
moments.
His sister Khadija told local media: “I demand justice. I
want revenge. I will never find peace until my brother gets justice.
“We don’t know what happened; we only received a phone call
saying he was d£ad. They handcuffed him, and he di£d. They attacked him… and
they beat him. There are witnesses.”
Fakir, who lived with his brother, suffered from
underlying health conditions, according to his family.
Speaking about the officers involved, his sister said: “If
someone is agitated, you have to calm them down.”
The shocking footage sparked protests across Bologna, with
hundreds taking to the streets demanding answers over Fakir’s d£ath.
Demonstrators reportedly chanted anti-police slogans and
knelt with raised fists, a gesture associated with the Black Lives
Matter movement after George Floyd’s d£ath.
A further protest was planned in central Bologna, backed by
centre-left Mayor Matteo Lepore, the Cgil trade union and other left-wing
groups.
The League party, part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s
government, called for a full investigation but defended the officers, saying
they were “doing their duty” after being called by “exasperated
citizens”.
Fakir’s de@th is now being investigated by Bologna
prosecutors, who have opened a manslaughter investigation into those involved
in the “various phases” of the police operation.
The case includes two police officers and four ambulance
workers, although prosecutors said there are currently no suspects.
Investigators said the probe would examine the full sequence
of events, including the moments before and after the footage circulating
online.
Fakir’s lawyer Barbara Spinelli described him as a “kind,
polite, and respectful person” who cared deeply about his business and
employees.
She said: “He was an extremely kind, polite, and respectful
person. A worker who cared about his company and his employees. He’s the last
client I’d imagine would suffer such an end.”
Spinelli said Fakir had been living legally
in Italy since childhood and was renewing his residence permit.
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