Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old Moroccan-born entrepreneur who had lived in Italy since he was five, died on Sunday while being forcibly restrained by police in Bologna. Fakir, who ran a small removals and cleaning business, died pleading for help. Widely shared footage of the incident shows police holding the man face-down on the ground as he repeatedly calls for help before falling still.
The death has sparked a wave of outrage, leading to violent protests and clashes between security personnel and demonstrators in Bologna on Monday. Police responded to the crowds using teargas and water cannons. Human rights campaigners and Italy's opposition parties are demanding urgent answers and accountability regarding the circumstances of the death.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the murder of George Floyd in the United States, as well as tactics used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Donald Trump. While local authorities have urged calm as an investigation is underway, some parts of the government are simultaneously rallying behind a jeweler who killed two burglars.