Italy: Protests over immigrant's death in police custody

Tensions flared in Bologna, Italy, after Abderrahim Fakir, a man of Moroccan origin, died while in police custody on Sunday. His sister, Khadija, has vehemently stated, "They killed my brother in cold blood, I want justice," demanding accountability for his death in the Pilastro neighborhood.

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They killed my brother in cold blood, I want justice.

According to Italian media reports, Fakir, who moved to Italy at age 7, was a legal permanent resident and owned a cleaning business. Police stated they responded to a call about a man damaging a vehicle. Upon arrival in approximately 35-degree Celsius heat, officers attempted to subdue Fakir with pepper spray, reporting he remained aggressive and was subsequently handcuffed. A widely circulated video shows Fakir struggling to breathe and calling for help before becoming unresponsive. His family noted he had a history of asthma and heart problems and was not known to have prior run-ins with authorities.

Demonstrations occurred in Bologna's Piazza del Nettuno, with some protestors chanting anti-police slogans and throwing a firecracker. Italian news agency ANSA reported that police responded with tear gas and water cannons. Police unions accused activists of conducting online "witch hunts" based on incomplete footage and reported dozens of officers were injured.

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You cannot die like this.

Local authorities, including Mayor Matteo Lepore, have urged residents to remain calm and await the investigation's outcome, acknowledging that "something clearly went wrong." Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also called for transparency but criticized online agitators for inciting "hatred against the police." Investigations are underway by Bologna health authorities into the response time, and police plan to release full bodycam footage to investigators.

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hatred against the police