Fatality during police operation: did the officers go too far?
A man died during a police operation in Bologna on Sunday. Video footage shows the 42-year-old being restrained by officers face-down on the ground for several minutes while crying out for help. On Monday, thousands of people gathered to protest in Bologna. Scepticism about the police officers' conduct prevails in the commentaries.
Dangerous restraint measure
Corriere della Sera wonders whether the police officers in fact behaved correctly:
“The public prosecutor's office is investigating a case of manslaughter in connection with the death of Abderrahim Fakir, who died on Sunday after two officers pinned him to the ground while a member of the public held his legs. ... A restraint measure that became necessary due to a state of extreme agitation, which may have been caused by drug abuse. … However, a circular from the Ministry of the Interior dated May 2026 recommends that 'if the individual shows signs of distress, the restraint must be loosened immediately and they must be placed in the recovery position and checked to ensure they can breathe freely'. Were these recommendations followed?”
Inexplicable conduct
La Stampa calls for a full investigation:
“The severity with which the police officers dealt with the non-EU citizen remains inexplicable. After all, he was unarmed and had not committed a serious offence – apart from disturbing the public order, apparently while in a state of mental agitation. … The police officers' bodycam footage must be analysed to clarify why they persisted with their actions despite Fakir obviously being in a state of agitation. And above all, why, despite his repeated cries for help, they didn't stop and failed to see that he was having difficulty breathing due to an asthma attack.”
The state has already lost
Avvenire sees a dilemma:
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the state has a monopoly on the use of force. The extremely rare exceptions (such as self-defence) must be strictly regulated by law. Furthermore, this monopoly on the use of force may only be exercised by the state – that is, by its representatives – within the legal framework. ... This means that the state has already failed whenever a person dies in its custody – regardless of any potential liability, which must be thoroughly investigated, not least in the interest of the officers involved. … On the other hand, it is neither professional nor responsible to deny or pretend not to see that public safety is a problem in this country, particularly in the major cities.”