Screams, pleas, tears: the video recorded in which a young man is beaten by the Miami police recalls that of George Floyd who died after his arrest. To the ground Matteo Falcinelli, 25 year old Italian student. Originally from Spoleto, he was in the United States to attend a master’s degree at Florida International University. The facts date back to last February but the videos were released on April 12 as part of the trial against him which then ended with him being admitted to a re-education programme.
The young man’s family now wants to file a complaint for unlawful arrest, abuse and torture. Falcinelli was arrested on the night between February 24th and 24th after being kicked out of a nightclub: the young man explains that he became agitated because he could no longer find his two cell phones. Two policemen are outside waiting for him. According to their version, the young man resisted and this led to the procedure of pinning him to the ground with his hands behind his back and his knee on his neck. The story, however, does not end here.
As can be seen from the images recorded by the officers’ body cams, Falcinelli is taken to the police station, put on the ground, handcuffed, hogtied and left in the cell. His college friends then paid the bail to get him out but the boy – as confirmed by his mother – still relives that nightmare. The Farnesina let it be known that the case is being followed – like others of Italians detained abroad – and the Minister Antonio Tajani has already solicited the attention of the United States ambassador to Italy Jack Markell.
