Bologna, July 20, 2026 – On one side pain, tears, the piercing screams of family members in front of the Partisans’ Shrine, shouting “Justice and truth”. On the other side anger, violence, clashes between protesters and the police in Bologna, once again, in flames. The rally called for Abderrhaim Fakir, a Moroccan citizen who died in Pilastro on Sunday during a police intervention, saw four thousand people gather in the square, including the family of the 42-year-old and many local center-left politicians.
Clashes between police and protesters
Then the troublemakers arrived too, at least 200: they incited the crowd with the shout of “murderers” and “remove the shield law,” chanting “the whole world hates the police,” gradually paving the way for the tension that eventually erupted into clashes.
Thrown from one side were road signs, firecrackers, empty bottles towards the lined-up officers. The police responded with water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Shields and batons were raised and the violence – just as it was last year under the Towers after Ramy’s death in Milan or before the basketball game between Virtus and the Israelis of Maccabi Tel Aviv – took over.
Moments of tension
The appeals from the family and those holding photos of Fakir, speaking of “a day of mourning” where “there can be no room for violence,” were in vain. Not even the effort of a woman wearing a hijab, who snatched an empty bottle from the hands of a masked young man, was enough. The human tide, with protesters and collectives at the forefront, pushed further and further towards the Prefecture. Until the tension exploded.
Illness of Abderrhaim’s sister
The mourning began at 7 p.m. with the rally launched by Matteo Lepore. The mayor gave space to Fakir’s family: a heartbreaking moment, so much so that Abderrhaim’s sister – Kadija – also suffered an illness due to a drop in blood sugar, perhaps from emotion, and an ambulance had to make its way through the crowd to assist her (she is not in danger).
The niece: “No hate, but justice”
However, it was the niece, Yosra, who spoke: “What happened has left pain, anger, and many, many, many questions – the girl said, crying heavily –. We are not here to ask for hate or revenge, but justice, respect, and above all humanity.” Then the victim’s family met with the police chief Gaetano Bonaccorso, together with Lepore, who said: “I am shocked. Bologna has many questions, the magistrates will have to answer.”
Objects thrown at police, water cannons deployed
But it was when the moment of mourning ended, and the slogans against the police forces began, that the situation deteriorated. The ‘serpent’ moved from the square to under the Prefecture, circling the Town Hall, and filled the square in front of the Government building. Palestinian flags appeared, the chants became more aggressive and noisy. Some tried to hold back the troublemakers, asking for “respect for the death of a man”; others remained in a sit-in in front of the armored vehicles, while a helicopter patrolled the city from above the entire time. Diplomacy did not last long: shortly after 8 p.m., the first objects were thrown at the police officers and the first jets of water cannons were deployed. Several times.
Lawyer Anselmo: “Clashes, attack on Fakir’s family”
Fabio Anselmo, Fakir’s lawyer, described the clashes as “a wound” and “an attack on the family that ‘asked for calm, education, and respect.’” A group of 100 masked protesters remained throwing everything at the officers until after sunset. A two-faced Bologna, divided between pain and violence.
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