Man Dies During Bologna Arrest; Investigation Opened

Italian media identified the man as Moroccan-born Abderrahim Fakir, who was restrained on the ground by two officers and a third man as they attempted to arrest him. Amateur video recorded from nearby apartment buildings shows Fakir face down after being handcuffed, calling for help and pleading for officers to stop before he became unresponsive.

Emergency medical personnel are visible standing back during the struggle.

After Fakir fell silent, officers finished binding his ankles and medical staff turned his body over to check for vital signs. Bologna police said the two officers sprayed Fakir with pepper spray after he resisted arrest. The Bologna prosecutor's office ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death and opened an investigation into the circumstances.

The two officers involved will continue to work during the investigation. Fakir owned a moving and cleaning business and had a few employees, according to Italian media reports. Attorney Barbara Spinelli, who met Fakir at the end of 2025 when he contacted her over fear of deportation, told Italy's national ANSA news agency that he had lived in Italy since he was a child and that his documentation was in order.

Fakir's sister Khadija Fakira posted on social media that "They killed my brother in cold blood, without pity" and that the family wants justice. She called for full clarity on the matter and for investigations to determine what happened. Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore and the Democratic Party called for people to gather Monday evening in the city to "ask for truth and justice" over Fakir's death.

Italy has faced similar controversies in the past, including the deaths of Federico Aldrovandi in 2005 and Stefano Cucchi in 2009, both in police custody.