A man's death during a police arrest in Bologna, Italy, has ignited widespread protests and prompted a formal investigation. Abderrahim Fakir, a Moroccan-born entrepreneur, died on Sunday after police were called to a scene where he was reportedly behaving aggressively and damaging a vehicle.
Video footage of the incident, filmed by a resident and circulated widely online, shows two officers holding Fakir face down on the ground. In the video, Fakir can be heard calling for help and struggling to breathe before his movements cease. The incident occurred in the northeastern neighborhood of Pilastro shortly after noon, when temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).
According to media reports, officers deployed pepper spray and attempted to handcuff Fakir after he reacted aggressively to their intervention. Emergency services were called by the police after they arrived. Fakir's sister, Khadija, told reporters that her brother was "killed in cold blood" and demanded justice.
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday in the Pilastro neighborhood, chanting anti-police slogans and some adopting a raised-fist gesture reminiscent of the Black Lives Matter movement. Another protest was scheduled for Monday in central Bologna, supported by the city's center-left mayor, the CGIL trade union, and other left-leaning organizations.
Bologna prosecutors are investigating the incident. The Bologna police stated they would provide bodycam footage from the involved officers to investigators. Italy's Interior Ministry has not yet commented publicly.
The incident has drawn responses from across the political spectrum. Opposition politicians have called for accountability. Members of the governing coalition, including the right-wing League party, have urged for thorough investigations while also asserting that the police officers were performing their duties in response to citizen requests.