"Justice for Fqir" protests in Italy after death of Moroccan during arrest attempt, and accusations of police "killing him", what's the story?

Image caption, screenshot from a video circulated on social media, showing Abdelrahim Fqir, tied by two policemen, and a third man, a medic, looking at him, while Fqir was breathing his last breaths.

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Protests expanded in Italy after the death of the young Moroccan Abdelrahim Fqir during an arrest attempt by Italian police forces, and thousands of protesters of different nationalities took to the streets in several Italian cities demanding justice for the Moroccan citizen and accountability for those responsible for his death.

The protests erupted since Monday evening following the death of Fqir, 42, who had been living in Italy for 30 years and ran a small transport and cleaning company. Reports indicated he suffered from heart problems and asthma, and the Italian public prosecutor's office announced an investigation into "involuntary" manslaughter.

Protesters chanted "Justice for Fqir" and "Police are murderers," and a number of protesters held a sit-in in a square carrying a picture of Fqir, according to the Italian news agency Ansa. Italian police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in the city.

Right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intervened, attempting to contain the situation and vowed to investigate "any responsibilities with the utmost rigor," while also condemning acts of violence against police.

Meloni stressed on X the need to "identify possible responsibilities with the utmost precision regarding the death of Abdelrahim Fqir, and the full truth must be reached, without prejudice or leniency towards any party."

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also called for waiting for the results of the investigation, stating in a comment to Il Messaggero newspaper that "no one is above the law."

Meanwhile, Minister for European Affairs Tommaso Foti described the chants by demonstrators, including "Police are murderers" and "The whole world hates you," as "shameful." Far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also defended the police.

Internal criticism

Image caption, the public prosecutor opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter after Fqir's death in Bologna

In contrast, significant criticism was directed at the police and government, and opposition senator Ilaria Cucchi, whose brother died in custody in 2009, expressed her "disgust" at what she called "expressions of solidarity and thanks" directed at the police after an "inhumane act."

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Ilaria, a member of the opposition "Greens and Left" alliance, also blamed Meloni and her coalition government for establishing a "climate of hatred and racism" that, according to her, contributed to the escalation of violence.

For his part, the leader of the Democratic Party (center-left) group in the Senate, Francesco Boccia, told La Repubblica newspaper: "If the right wants to import the American ICE model, this is not the right country for that. We have democratic immunity," according to Euronews.

Moroccan ambassador to Italy Youssef Balla demanded on Tuesday that all circumstances of the death of Moroccan citizen Abdelrahim Fqir be revealed, in "full respect for truth, justice, and human dignity."

He also called on the Moroccan community to "not be drawn into provocations or attempts to exploit this painful tragedy," according to a statement reported by the Moroccan news agency.

The Moroccan Foreign Ministry said it requested the competent Italian authorities "to expedite a comprehensive investigation to reveal all circumstances surrounding this death," stressing "the need to determine responsibilities and ensure full implementation of required legal procedures and measures."

"They killed him"

Image caption, protesters raised pictures of Abdelrahim Fqir and banners with "Justice for Fqir" and accused Italian police of killing him

While his family demands revealing the truth of what happened and holding those responsible accountable if violations are proven, the Italian authorities confirm that the investigation is still in its early stages, and that the cause of death "has not yet been determined."

According to Italian reports, the victim's family doubts the police story and the reasons for the violence against him, especially since there are no recordings clarifying the reasons for the arrest attempt, and they demanded access to surveillance camera footage and body cameras worn by police officers, to clarify the truth of what happened.

Khadija, sister of Abdelrahim Fqir, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "A person cannot die this way. Police are supposed to protect us. If someone is agitated, you must calm him down... not kill him as if he were a dog."

She added, according to Moroccan media: "The family wants to know what happened, they killed him… they killed him," and demanded accountability for those responsible if the investigation proves violations.

The incident dates back to a security intervention in the "Pilastro" neighborhood in Bologna, after police received a report about a person they said "was in a state of agitation inside a parking garage of a residential building and collided with a car in the garage," and security patrols went to the scene, where the intervention ended with the death of the Moroccan citizen.

Recordings taken by residents of neighboring buildings showed the police patrol arriving at the scene, and police tried to control him by spraying him with "pepper spray," because he appeared to be in a state of agitation and stress, according to reports.

Then two policemen along with a civilian moved to control him and throw him to the ground and forcibly restrain him while tying his hands with plastic ties, while two policemen sat on top of him, and medics stood nearby.

The video also documented his repeated screams as he cried out and asked them to stop, shouting: "Help me, help me… Enough! Enough!" Then his movement began to stop and his resistance decreased, at which point the police left him after several minutes, then the doctor declared his death.

"George Floyd Italy"

These scenes sparked angry reactions on social media platforms and in Italian media, and many considered what happened similar to the case of the black American citizen George Floyd, who died in the same way at the hands of American police in May 2020, and his death sparked angry protests across the United States, especially among black people.

Protests erupted in Bologna, which witnessed riots, and Italian authorities said 11 people were injured in clashes between police and angry protesters, including police officers, while police said 64 of its members were injured. Protests also spread to Milan and Naples, but they were peaceful.

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