Bologna: clashes at the march in support of Fakir: firecrackers, water cannons and tear gas

During the clashes on Monday 20 July in Bologna, which followed protests over the death of Abderrahim Fakir, 64 law enforcement officers were injured, with recovery times ranging from 3 to 35 days. Six State Police vehicles were damaged. Further damage occurred in the city centre, near Piazza Maggiore, where the demonstration began. This is the initial report from the Bologna Police Headquarters. The demonstration was organised to demand truth and justice regarding the death of Abderrahim Fakir, the 42-year-old who died on Sunday 19 July during a police operation in the Pilastro neighbourhood.

The rally began at 7 pm in Piazza Nettuno with a gathering organised by the mayor Matteo Lepore and conceived by the City Council as a moment of reflection and participation, without a stage or political speeches. At the end of the event, some of those present – including representatives of various groups and members of the Moroccan community – marched towards Piazza Roosevelt, where the Prefecture and the Police Headquarters are located.

Outside the government buildings, the demonstrators were met by a cordon of officers in riot gear. Chants were heard from the square directed against the police and against the new mechanism known as the ‘criminal immunity shield’. The front ranks advanced towards the police line, leading to clashes and police charges to contain the crowd.

According to reports from Ansa, a firecracker was thrown from the area occupied by the demonstrators. Some participants also removed the protective coverings from the windows of the armoured vehicles and hurled them at the police vehicles. There were also reports of bottles being thrown and officers being kicked. The police responded with batons, water cannons and tear gas to disperse the section of the march involved in the clashes. Subsequently, some protesters gathered near the walls of the Town Hall, crouching down with a photograph of Fakir in a gesture of non-violent protest.

The demonstration had been organised following the death of Fakir, which occurred whilst he was being pinned to the ground and handcuffed by two officers who had been called to Via Svevo. In the footage obtained by investigators, the 42-year-old appears pinned face-down whilst calling for help, before ceasing to move. The cause of death has not yet been determined and will need to be established by forensic investigations. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has obtained both the video filmed by a resident and the footage recorded by the officers’ bodycams.