Morocco urges investigation after national dies during arrest in Italy

Moroccan-born Abderrahim Fakir died on Sunday after police were called to the Pilastro neighborhood on the outskirts of the northern city to deal with a man who was allegedly behaving aggressively and causing damage to a vehicle.

Morocco's foreign ministry said it was concerned by the death of a national during a police arrest in Bologna in Italy and urged a "thorough investigation." The ministry called on Tuesday night for the necessary explanations regarding the death to be provided and for responsibility to be established.

Italian right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni​ called for a full investigation into the death, saying on X: "It is essential that any responsibilities be ascertained with the utmost rigor. The truth must be pursued thoroughly, without prejudice and without leniency toward anyone."

The death sparked protests across central Bologna on Monday evening which, according to police union COISP, left 56 officers injured.

The demonstration turned violent when a group of protesters threw firecrackers, bottles and chairs at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannon, Italian media reported. "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 said.

Investigation ongoing

A video of Fakir's final moments, widely shared on social media, shows him face down on the ground while two officers restrain him. He can be heard calling for help and saying he could not breathe before his movements gradually stop.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation, which has reignited debate in Italy over police use of force during arrests and prompted comparisons with past cases that resulted in years of legal proceedings and calls for reform.

According to Italian media, officers initially tried to calm Fakir before using pepper spray and restraining him while attempting to handcuff him after he reacted aggressively. Bologna police said body-camera footage from the officers involved would be made available to investigators.

The case has drawn political reactions from across the spectrum, with opposition politicians demanding full accountability and members of the governing coalition defending the officers involved.

"Just as every citizen has the right to the presumption of innocence, the same principle must apply to those who wear a uniform," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told daily Il Messaggero.