Giorgia Meloni has condemned violent attacks on police in Italy, prompted by the death of a Moroccan man who died in while being restrained by officers during an arrest attempt.
Abderrahim Fakir, 42, was seen struggling to breathe while being held down by multiple police officers in Bologna in viral footage shared on social media, before he was confirmed dead last weekend.
Melon called for an investigation into his death with the “utmost rigour” but condemned the clashes, saying that “nothing can justify violence against Law Enforcement”.
“Those who chose to use this incident as a pretext to set the city ablaze, assault officers, and sow violence—also endangering the safety of innocent bystanders completely unrelated to the unrest—were not seeking the truth: they were seeking confrontation,” she said.
In the footage, two police officers are seen sitting on Fakir as he lies face down with a third officer pinning his legs down. He is seen unresponsive shortly after. The temperature on the day is reported to have been 35C.
Fakir, who is said to have suffered from asthma and heart issues according to his family, is seen crying out “aiuto, aiuto, basta” meaning “help, help, that’s enough”, with protesters drawing similarities with the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
“You can’t die like this. The police have to protect us. If someone is agitated, you have to calm them down… not kill them like a dog,” his sister, Khadija, told Corriere della Sera.
As the protests spread, Morocco demanded an investigation. Morocco’s ministry of foreign affairs said it had asked the Italian government to “fully clarify” the nature of Mr Fakir’s death.
“It is in the interest of everyone that full light be shed on this tragedy, by establishing the full circumstances of the events with rigour, impartiality and transparency,” the Moroccan embassy in Italy added.
Born in Morocco, Mr Fakir had moved to Italy aged five and ran a cleaning business.
Neighbours had called the authorities after they said he was “behaving erratically” and kicking garage doors in Pilastro. Officers reportedly tried to calm the situation but then used pepper spray on him.
Protests with police have erupted across the city with at least 64 officers injured in the ensuing unrest. Molotov cocktails were thrown across the crowd and chants of “police murderers” rang out. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, according to ANSA.
Meloni has faced criticism over a new anti-protest security law that affords more powers to state agents and greater protections to police officers. It allows intelligence agents to commit certain crimes if related to national security without the threat of facing prosecution.
Police officers facing investigation over their conduct while working are allocated €10,000 to cover their legal fees under the legislation and people accused of injuring an officer while on duty can face criminal charges. The law has sparked protests across the country.
She told Il Giornale that it is “a measure of common sense to prevent the possibility that a person who has defended themselves could be punished twice, risking also losing the fruit of a lifetime's work and ending up destitute.
“Translated: if you break into my house to rob me, kidnap me, or assault me or my family and while doing so you suffer damage because I reacted, I will answer for any criminal liability, but you in any case have no right to claim any compensation in a civil court. It is unacceptable that a criminal should have more protections than someone who suffers an accident at work.”
Mayor Matteo Lepore called for demonstrations following the death and was criticised by Meloni as being “irresponsible”.
Opposition leader Elly Schelin defended Lepore and said he “chose to govern the frustration and disorientation of an entire community”.
“The state failed Fakir, and it is up to the state to fully establish the truth,” she said, but called clashes “unacceptable”.
