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43-year-old Moroccan man dies after police restraint in Bologna, Italy
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A 43-year-old Moroccan man died during a police operation in Bologna, Italy, after two officers sat on him for an extended period while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground. A video published by La Repubblica shows the man repeatedly calling for help in Italian ('Aiuto. Basta, basta!') as the officers remain on him. A third man in civilian clothes holds his ankles, and two paramedics are visible but do not intervene. Police were called after the man allegedly went on a rampage and struck a patrol car. Officers used pepper spray before handcuffing him. The man, who had lived in Italy since age seven, stopped moving after several minutes. An autopsy is expected to determine the cause of death. The incident has sparked debate about possible police violence and tensions in the Pilastro district.
Source report
Bologna, Italy — A 43-year-old Moroccan man has died following a police operation in the northern Italian city of Bologna, sparking renewed debate over police violence in the country.
According to witness reports, the man died after two police officers sat on him for an extended period while he was lying on the ground. A video published by the daily newspaper La Repubblica shows the man calling for help multiple times, with the two officers refusing to release him. Later in the footage, he appears unresponsive.
Incident Details
Police were called to the Pilastro district late in the morning after neighbors reported that the man, of Moroccan origin, was in a fit of rage. According to the Italian news agency Ansa, he allegedly struck a patrol car. Officers then used pepper spray against him and handcuffed him.
Video Evidence
In the video, recorded from a window by a neighbor, the man can be heard shouting from the ground:
"Aiuto. Basta, basta!" ("Help! Enough, enough!")
Despite his pleas, the uniformed officers did not let go. A third man, dressed in civilian clothes, held the man by the ankles. Two paramedics are visible at the scene but did not intervene. After several minutes, the man stopped moving.
Aftermath
According to Ansa, the man had lived in Italy since the age of seven and shared an apartment with his brother. Tensions ran high in the northeastern district of the university city following the incident.
An autopsy is now expected to determine the exact cause of death.
Source: dpa/sebe
Source
Nachrichten - WELTWestern
Part of this Story
Moroccan Man Dies After Police Restraint in Bologna, Sparking Nationwide Riots