Migrants – Police Violence Observatory

October 2, 2018 – Riace

60 year-old – Sentenced to thirteen years in jail

Mimmo Lucano was mayor of Riace from 2004 to 2018, a small town in Calabria in the South of Italy. He used his leadership to welcome migrants and asylum seekers to his town. Such towns in rural southern regions are becoming depopulated as younger people move to bigger towns or the north. Young immigrant families could help give life and energy back to such areas. Local people married some of the migrants but the legal authorities accused him of setting up false, artificial marriages. He set up cooperatives to help support the newcomers and obtained public funds to do so.

In October 2018, the Italian police put Mimmo under house arrest for allegedly helping illegal migrants to stay in the country by organising “marriages of convenience”. The state has accused him of mismanaging the funds. Even his accusers accept that Mimmo has made no personal financial gains at all.

Mimmo will be appealing and his future will not just depend on the vagaries of the court but on the strength of the national and perhaps international campaign in his favour.

Physical violence

	Kicks, punches, slaps
	Feet / knees on the nape of the neck, chest or face
	Blows to the victim while under control and/or on the ground
	Blows to the ears
	Strangulation / chokehold
	Painful armlock
	Fingers forced backwards
	Spraying with water
	Dog bites
	Hair pulling
	Tirage par les cheveux
	Painful tightening of colson ties or handcuffs
	Painfully pulling by colson ties or handcuffs
	Use of gloves
	Use of firearm
	Use of “Bean bags” (a coton sack containing tiny lead bullets)
	Use of FlashBall weapon
	Use of sound grenade
	Use of dispersal grenade
	Use of teargas grenade
	Use of rubber bullets weapon (LBD40 type)
	Use of batons
	Use of Pepper Spray
	Use of Taser gun

Psychological violence

	Charge of disturbing public order
	Charge of rebellion
	Accusation of beatings to officer
	Charge of threatening officer
	Charge of insulting an officer
	Threat with a weapon
	Aggressive behaviour, disrespect, insults
	Calls to end torment remained unheeded
	Sexist remarks
	Homophobic remarks
	Racist comments
	Violence by fellow police officers
	Passivity of police colleagues
	Lack or refusal of the police officer to identify him or herself
	Vexing or intimidating identity check
	Intimidation or arrest of witnesses
	Prevented from taking photographs or from filming the scene
	Refusal to notify someone or to telephone
	Refusal to administer a breathalyzer
	Refusal to fasten the seatbelt during transport
	Refusal to file a complaint
	Refusal to allow medical care or medication
	Lies, cover-ups, disappearance of evidence
	Undress before witnesses of the opposite sex
	Bend down naked in front of witnesses
	Lack of surveillance or monitoring during detention
	Lack of signature in the Personal Effects Register during detention
	Confiscation, deterioration, destruction of personal effects
	Pressure to sign documents
	Absence of a report
	Deprivation during detention (water, food)
	Inappropriate sanitary conditions during detention (temperature, hygiene, light)
	Complacency of doctors
	Kettling (corraling protestors to isolate them from the rest of the demonstration)
	Prolonged uncomfortable position

30.09.2021 – Sentenced to 13 years and 2 months in jail for abetting illegal migration and for “irregularities” in managing the asylum seekers
11.06.2019 – Trial
11.04.2019 – Indicted on charges of abuse of power and aiding illegal immigration ; faced another probe regarding alleged false public statement and fraud
02.10.2018 – Mimmo put under house arrest

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