Foreign
Of Rita Cavallaro – 9 May 2024
The United States distances itself from the controversial story of Matteo Falcinelli’s arrest. “We recognize the concerns raised by the Italian government and the Falcinelli family regarding the circumstances of Matteo Falcinelli’s arrest in Miami. We understand that the Miami police have opened an internal investigation into this case. We will continue to monitor these developments,” a US State Department spokesperson said. It is the first official reaction from Washington after the controversy that inevitably arose following the news, with images, of the arrest of the Italian student. The Miami Police, as witnessed by the bodycams of the officers who carried out the operation, unquestionably used too much vehemence towards our compatriot. The 25-year-old student from Spoleto was the victim of execrable treatment on the night between 24 and 25 February. Matteo, convinced to assert his rights following the theft of his mobile phones, suffered shortly before in the Florida club, probably underestimated the consequences of his actions and would have gone too far, when asking the police to identify himself he touched the chest to an agent. Hence the arrest, which had dramatic implications later. the young man was tied hand and foot with a strap attached to the handcuffs, which the police tightened so much that he screamed in pain. In that position, he was left on the ground for thirteen minutes. A nightmare, which he still carries with him, so much so that he attempted suicide several times. “The U.S. Department of State works diligently to ensure that U.S. law enforcement agencies comply with their legal obligations regarding notification and consular access when foreign nationals are detained in the United States, in accordance with applicable domestic law and in accordance with the international obligations, in the same way we expect foreign governments to treat U.S. citizens abroad,” the government official continued. Minister Tajani’s response was not long in coming: “I read with satisfaction the statements made today (yesterday, ed.) in the United States: the federal government is following the matter with concern, therefore it responded positively to our request for clarification”. Matteo’s mother, Vlasta Studenicova, said it is good news. Italy will closely follow the developments of the case.
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