Al Jazeera and Reuters contributed to this report.

The protests in Bologna underscore broader tensions over policing and immigration in Italy.

Published On 21 Jul 202621 Jul 2026

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned demonstrators in Bologna, after protests over the death of a Moroccan man under police restraint left dozens of officers injured.

The right-wing leader, speaking on Tuesday, promised a fair investigation into the death of Abderrahim Fakir, but said the overnight protests were more about seeking "confrontation" than "truth".

The 42-year-old Fakir died on Sunday after police were called to deal with a man behaving aggressively and damaging a vehicle.

Protests broke out on Sunday night, and as they resumed on Monday evening in central Bologna, they clashed with police.

Protesters threw firecrackers, bottles, and chairs at officers, who countered with tear gas and water cannons. According to the Italian Coordination of Police Officers, 56 officers were injured.

“Those who chose to use this incident as a pretext to lay waste to the city, attack officers and spread violence … were not seeking the truth: they were seeking confrontation,” Meloni declared.

She added that “any responsibilities” must “be ascertained with the utmost rigour” and that the truth must be pursued “without prejudice and without leniency toward anyone”.

A protester kneels, raises a fist and holds a portrait of Abderrahim Fakir during a demonstration following Fakir’s death after he was restrained by police during an attempted detention, in Bologna, Italy, July 20, 2026. REUTERS/Michele Lapini
A protester kneels, raises a fist and holds a portrait of Abderrahim Fakir during a demonstration in Bologna, Italy, July 20, 2026 [Michele Lapini/Reuters]

Footage of Fakir’s final moments, widely shared online, shows him face down while two officers restrain him and he calls for help and says he can not breathe before falling still.

The footage has drawn comparisons to the 2020 killing of George Floyd by United States police in Minneapolis.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation, reigniting debate in Italy over the use of force during arrests.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he had “full confidence” the inquiry would establish the facts, telling the daily Il Messaggero that officers deserve the same “presumption of innocence” as any other citizen.

The case has drawn reactions across the political spectrum.

Members of the populist right-wing governing coalition have defended the officers involved.

Opposition politicians have criticised the government for its handling of the incident and claimed that its policies promote violence.

Centre-left legislator Francesco Boccia warned against Italy adopting an “ICE model” of policing, referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has been involved in several killings of protesters.

Lawyer Barbara Spinelli, who had met Fakir last year when he applied to renew his residency permit, told the ANSA news agency that he was “a very kind, well-educated, respectful person” who had worried about being expelled from Italy despite living there legally.

The video of Fakir's final moments, widely shared online, has intensified calls for accountability. Meloni's government faces the challenge of balancing a transparent investigation with a firm response to the public unrest. How authorities handle this case could affect public confidence in the justice system and the government's stance on law enforcement.