Violent protests in Italy after migrant killed in police chase crash

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Violent protests erupted in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday for two consecutive nights in the city’s migrant neighborhood following the death of a young man in a traffic accident while being pursued by police.

The incident occurred late on the night of Nov. 23 when two young men of migrant origin, on a motorcycle, failed to stop at a police checkpoint and were subsequently chased by security forces.

The chase ended with a traffic accident on Ripamonti Street. Ramy Elgaml, who is believed to be around 20 years old, died in the crash, while his 22-year-old Tunisian companion was injured and hospitalized.

Elgaml’s death during the police chase in the Corvetto district, an area heavily populated by migrants, sparked protests, local media reported.

According to reports, a group of around 70 people tried to block several streets by setting up barriers, which they later set on fire, on Sunday and Monday nights.

The protests turned violent, with clashes and skirmishes between the demonstrators and security forces. The protesters threw bottles and fireworks, while the police responded with tear gas.

During the unrest, a 21-year-old man from Montenegro was reportedly arrested.

While the situation in Corvetto, where the protests had occurred for two nights, was calmer in the past 12 hours compared to earlier days, tensions in the neighborhood remained high.

Italian newspapers reported that the demonstrations in response to Elgaml’s death had escalated into a small-scale riot in Milan.

Additional details from the media indicated that Elgaml, who had suffered a heart attack during the incident, was unable to be revived despite all attempts.