The Roman authorities have arrested 14 migrants from nine countries for their alleged involvement in unrest at a repatriation centre following the death of a migrant from Guinea, police said Monday.
After the body was discovered Sunday morning, migrants at the centre began setting mattresses on fire and throwing objects at law enforcement personnel. The migrants used telephone booths to knock down two partitions.
One group attacked parked police vehicles, setting one of them on fire, while another group entered a room where law enforcement kept personal items, which they took. taken and destroyed. The suspects also destroyed eight video cameras, according to police.
The authorities used tear gas to calm the unrest, which continued into the evening. Three officers were injured. The suspects are from Morocco, Pakistan, Guinea, Cuba, Chile, Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria and Gambia.
An Italian lawmaker who visited the centre on Sunday said the 21-year-old Guinean migrant hanged himself after expressing despair at not being able to return home to his family.
“These centres are black holes for rights and humanity. Most of the people detained here will never be repatriated.” Riccardo Magi said while calling for their closure.
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