Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani has condemned the violence a young Italian man,
Matteo Falcinelli, was subjected to when he was arrested in
Miami in February.
Police Bodycam videos show the 25-year-old being slammed to the
ground outside a night club and then tied up, with his ankles
bound and his hands behind his back, at a police station.
During the videos Falcinelli can be heard to say "I'm not
resisting", "please", "I'm not doing anything" and, at one
point, screaming in pain.
The arrest dates back to late February but the family have only
just gone public with what happened after an agreement in which
Falcinelli agreed to go on a re-educational program in order to
avoid jail time.
"I won the most important match by surviving the torture I
suffered," Falcinelli told his mother, Vlasta Studenicova.
Tajani had a telephone conversation with Studenicova about the
case on Sunday.
"I offered the lady and Falcinelli's family my warmest
solidarity," Tajani said.
"I was deeply shocked by the violence and the kind of treatment
that was applied to our young compatriot.
"The foreign ministry will follow Mr. Falcinelli's case with
balance and respect for the US institutions, but also with all
the necessary strength".
Miami police have opened an internal inquiry into the case.
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