Video of Moroccan man dying when stopped by Italian police sparks outrage, investigation

in Rome – The death of a 42-year-old man while in custody by Italian police in Bologna during an incident captured on video has sparked public outrage and an official investigation, calling for a review of police tactics.

The man, identified by Italian media as Moroccan-born Abderrahim Fakir, died on Sunday after police tried to arrest him in a northern Italian city.

According to the Bologna police, the police responded to reports of a man behaving in an inappropriate manner and damaging parked cars. In a statement, the police said that Fakir resisted the two officers, who sprayed him with pepper spray in an attempt to subdue him.

Videos recorded by witnesses from nearby buildings, widely shared on Italian television and social media, show the two officers and a third man holding Fakir down, face down, after he was handcuffed.

Fakir can be heard repeatedly calling for help and pleading for the police to stop before they don’t respond. Members of the emergency team are also visible, standing back during the struggle.

After Fakir remained silent, the police finished tying his ankles and the medics turned his body and appeared to check his vital signs.

The Bologna prosecutor’s office has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death and has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, a standard procedure in Italy whenever there is a death during a police operation.

Investigators are expected to examine whether obstructions contributed to Fakir’s death or whether other factors, including a possible medical emergency or drug intoxication, played a role.

The two officers involved will continue to work during the investigation.

The videos have attracted widespread attention across Italy, as civil rights advocates and opposition politicians demand a full and transparent investigation.

“We cannot remain silent when we are faced with so many deaths, which happened when a man who was in trouble was in the hands of the Police,” said Annalisa Corrado, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, in a statement. “We are asking for full clarity on this matter: that an ongoing investigation has determined what exactly happened and that all possible responsibilities are being confirmed, and that serious work is being done to train the Police if necessary to exercise restraint.”

Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and head of the far-right Lega Party, appeared to defend the police.

“I hope that the law enforcement will quickly clarify this situation, to avoid mud being thrown by people who do not understand what happened and who do not respect those who put their lives at risk to protect ours,” he said. “It is clear that no one wanted anyone to die.”

This case has renewed the debate about the use of force by the police, especially the use of force for a long time, when the suspect is arrested face down.

According to Italian media reports, Fakir ran a moving and cleaning business and had several employees. Her sister Khadija Fakira said she will seek the truth about what happened.

“They killed my brother out of ignorance, without feeling,” he said in a message he wrote on social media. “We want justice, brother.”

Fakir’s older brother Mohammad told Italian media that “he was a good person who never hurt anyone, and his death was a shame.”

Lawyer Barbara Spinelli, who says she met Fakir at the end of 2025 when she contacted him out of fear that he might be deported, told ANSA news in Italy that he was “a very kind, polite and respectful person.”

He said Fakir had lived in Italy since he was a child, and he had no fears about being deported as his documents were in order.

“He is the last of my clients that I would have thought would end up with him,” he said.

Italy has faced similar conflicts in the past. The death of Federico Aldrovandi in 2005 and Stefano Cucchi in 2009, both in police custody, the cases began to clear that led to years of litigation, demanding greater police accountability, and changes in custody procedures.

Police unions have urged people not to jump to conclusions based on the videos alone while investigators finish their work, noting that officers are often required to make quick decisions in volatile situations.

The Mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, and the Democratic Party he is a member of, issued an invitation for people to gather on Monday evening in the city to “ask for truth and justice” about Fakir’s death.