Cologne Police Intervention Leaves Pedro C. in Coma, Causes Irreparable Brain Damage

On 8 April 2026, police were called to the Cologne‑Deutz apartment of Pedro C., who was undergoing a mental‑health crisis and refused admission to a psychiatric clinic. Officers entered the residence, restrained him with a spit mask and handcuffs, and within 90 minutes he suffered a heart attack and was resuscitated. Pedro has remained in intensive care and is now in a coma with permanent brain damage, requiring permanent care.

His lawyer, Simón Barrera González, and the activist network "Justice for Pedro" allege excessive and possibly racist police force. The Cologne public prosecutor initially reported no evidence of unlawful violence, but later announced a new evidence‑gathering phase after public pressure. The Committee for Basic Rights and Democracy called for an independent, police‑free investigation, referencing European Court of Human Rights standards for such cases.