Bologna Police Intervention Death of Abderrahim Fakir Sparks Protests
Abderrahim Fakir, a 43‑year‑old Moroccan‑born resident of Bologna, died on 19 July 2026 after police officers restrained him on the ground in the Pilastro neighbourhood. The police department says Fakir resisted arrest and exhibited violent behaviour, while his sister and other family members allege that the officers used excessive force. Video recordings released by witnesses and the police’s own body‑cameras capture the man repeatedly shouting “Aiuto, basta, basta” as he was handcuffed face‑down, after which he stopped moving and was later pronounced dead.
The Bologna public prosecutor has opened an investigation, ordering an autopsy and the analysis of the body‑camera footage. The incident quickly triggered large‑scale public unrest. Thousands of residents gathered in Piazza Nettuno on the mayor’s invitation, later moving toward the Prefecture and the Questura where clashes with riot‑police led to the use of water‑cannons and tear‑gas. The mayor Matteo Lepore and regional president Michele De Pascale addressed the crowd, while political parties divided, with some defending the police and others demanding accountability. Media coverage has also become a point of contention, exemplified by the omission of a TGR report on the incident.