Abderrahim Fakir, a Moroccan-born entrepreneur who operated a small removals and cleaning business, died on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Bologna, Italy, while being held to the ground by police attempting to arrest him. The incident, captured on video by a resident and widely shared online, has led to street protests and an ongoing investigation by prosecutors.

Police were called to the northeastern Bologna neighborhood of Pilastro shortly after noon to respond to a man behaving aggressively and damaging a vehicle amid temperatures exceeding 35°C. The footage shows Fakir lying face down while two officers restrained him; he can be heard calling for help and struggling to breathe before ceasing movement.

Bologna police have stated they will provide bodycam footage from the officers involved to investigators. The right-wing League party, part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, has called for rigorous investigations but defended the police, saying officers were "doing their duty" in response to "exasperated citizens."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the scene, chanting anti-police slogans and kneeling with raised fists—a gesture linked to the Black Lives Matter movement that originated in the United States following the 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to the local daily Il Resto del Carlino. Protesters have demanded accountability, while political responses have spanned the spectrum.

A family member was quoted saying, "They killed my brother in cold blood, I want justice."

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