End racist police brutality in Europe: Justice for Abderrahim Fakir
To the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Italian Government
Petition
On July 19th, 2026 in Bologna, Italy, Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old Moroccan man who had lived in Italy since he was a child, was brutally killed by police while in distress and in need of help. His death is a tragic reminder of the systemic racism and police brutality that people of colour face in Europe every day.
The police officers involved in Abderrahim's death are not even being investigated. This lack of accountability is unacceptable and only perpetuates a culture of impunity within police forces.
We demand justice for Abderrahim and all victims of police violence. We call on the Italian authorities to:
- Launch an immediate and thorough investigation into Abderrahim's death, and hold those responsible accountable;
- End the culture of impunity within police forces by ensuring that all incidents of police violence and misconduct are promptly and thoroughly investigated by an independent body;
- Address the systemic racism within police forces and implement mandatory anti-racism and de-escalation training for all officers;
- Invest in community-based mental health and social services to provide care and support for people in distress, instead of relying on police intervention.
We call on the European Parliament and the European Commission to:
- Condemn the killing of Abderrahim Fakir and call for a thorough investigation;
- Develop EU-wide guidelines and best practices for addressing racism and discrimination within law enforcement;
- Support initiatives that promote racial equality, inclusion, and anti-discrimination across Europe.
Why is this important?
Last Sunday in Bologna, the police killed Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old Moroccan man who had lived in Italy since he was a child. His crime? Being in distress and needing help. [1]
When his friends called for assistance, the police arrived only to pin him to the ground, handcuff him, and press their knee into his neck until he couldn't breathe. Abderrahim died there on the street, his last moments filled with fear and pain. [2]
Not one of the police officers who held Abderrahim down has been treated as a suspect. [3] If we don't act now, the police will sweep his death under the rug and continue to act with impunity.
People all over Italy are mobilizing to demand justice. Now it's on all of us to build a movement too big to ignore. Every name we add builds pressure, and ensures those responsible are held to account.
The murder of George Floyd in America sparked a global movement against police brutality and racism. We need to do the same for Abderrahim in Europe. [4]
Sign the petition to demand justice for Abderrahim Fakir!
References:
[1] [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/7/20/moroccan-born-man-dies-while-detained-by-police-in-italy ; https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cronaca/2026/07/19/un-uomo-ammanettato-muore-durante-un-intervento-della-polizia-a-bologna_d0b602cf-d7c4-454f-84d1-d4f6d5f4922d.html ; https://bologna.repubblica.it/cronaca/2026/07/21/news/morte_fakir_testimoni_pilastro-425483276/
[3] Because of a new law passed this year, the names of the police officers went into a special register instead, on the assumption they did nothing wrong. It's one of the first times this law has been used. In the streets of Bologna, thousands are already demanding this law be scrapped. https://www.ilpost.it/2026/07/20/agenti-bologna-non-sono-indagati-perche-modello-45-bis/
[4] https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-53337780