Police Killed an African in Verona: The Untold Mental Health Crisis Is Real
It is with a heavy heart that I write this from Verona, a city that has been my home since I first arrived in Italy in August 2004. Over the years, I have witnessed many things here, but nothing quite as heartbreaking as the tragic event that unfolded on October 20th – the death of Moussa Diarra at the Verona train station.
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Verona is where I began my research project on the African presence in northern Italy (in 2013), leading to the publication of two books: “The Journey – Africans In Verona and The Color of Our Children” in addition to two video documentaries. It’s now the base of my global initiative focusing on the African diaspora.
I have always regarded Verona as a place of relative peace for immigrants, especially in my own experience.
Thanks to the help of an Italian friend, I was able to apply for my residence permit in 2009, (after 5 years without a permit) and I never encountered any bad experience with the police.
In fact, I have often said that Italian police are among the best in Europe when it comes to dealing with African immigrants.
Yet, on that tragic Sunday, something went terribly wrong. A fellow African was shot three times by the police. The loss is a painful reminder of our fragility, and it’s a deeply sorrowful moment for all of us in Verona and the diaspora.
3000 Demonstrators In Verona Streets For Moussa Diarra
Yesterday, On October 26, Verona witnessed two contrasting demonstrations regarding the tragic death of Moussa Diarra, a 26-year-old Malian who was killed by a Polfer agent. In the morning, around a hundred members of the Lega Nord held a sit-in to advocate for increased security in the city and to express solidarity with the police involved in the incident, which the Verona prosecutor’s office classified as self-defense.
However, in the afternoon, a significantly larger march took place, gathering over three thousand demonstrators from Piazza Brà to the Verona Porta Nuova station. This procession sought to demand a thorough investigation and justice for Moussa Diarra, highlighting the anger and pain felt by many, particularly among migrant and Italian communities of foreign descent.
As the march unfolded, the sentiments of the demonstrators were intense in the speeches given at the starting point in Piazza Brà.
Calls for justice were echoed with phrases such as “Truth for Moussa,” and many expressed their belief that there were alternative ways to handle the situation without resorting to lethal force.
Despite some tense moments, including interactions with police, while posting flyers and a minute of silence in front of the police headquarters, the march remained peaceful overall.
The event culminated in an emotional display of grief at the Verona Porta Nuova station, where representatives placed flowers at the site of Moussa Diarra’s death, while others continued to chant for justice, solidifying the march’s commitment to uncovering the truth surrounding this tragic incident.
What Happened On Sunday 20th October?
According to multiple reports, in the early hours of Sunday, October 20th, a young Malian migrant named Moussa Diarra tragically lost his life in an altercation that many believe could have been prevented.
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The Polfer officer, who has 29 years of service, is now under investigation for excessive use of self-defense.
Polfer, short for “Polizia Ferroviaria,” is the branch of the Italian police tasked with ensuring safety and security across the Italian state railways, known as Ferrovie dello Stato.
In our discussions with members of Verona’s African community, a central concern has emerged: the absence of video footage from the police, leaving unanswered questions about what actually transpired.
Given the area’s extensive CCTV coverage, many are puzzled and frustrated by the lack of transparency surrounding the incident.
The following is from Corriere Della Sera, talking of Djembang, Diarra’s older brother “About a month ago, he called me to say he wasn’t feeling well. I spoke to him a few days later, and he said he was feeling better… Now he’s gone.”
For the past two days, said he reports, what was once Moussa’s “home” has now become Djembang’s. He lives in Turin, but he arrived in Verona on Monday, navigating a maze of dilapidated and unsafe rooms that defy architectural description, to see his brother’s body. He was able to do so yesterday afternoon.
The information reaching us is that Diarra, just 26 years old, who arrived in Italy after fleeing the war in Mali, endured unimaginable horrors along the way.
He landed on European soil, like thousands of others, in search of stability, work, and the chance for a better future. But what awaited him instead was a cycle of exploitation, neglect, and indifference.
Before the fateful day when he was shot and killed by a police officer, Diarra had been struggling. He was suffering from depression, exacerbated by his grueling work in Verona’s agricultural fields, where he was said to have been underpaid and overworked.
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His mental health had steadily deteriorated, especially after the loss of his father. In his final days, Diarra had sought isolation, pulling away from friends and community members. He had even missed his appointment to renew his residence permit, unable to summon the strength to carry on with the bureaucratic necessities of survival.
Diarra’s story, heartbreaking as it is, is not unique. Across Europe, African migrants face an unrelenting barrage of obstacles, from racial discrimination to systemic inequality. The mental health toll on those who flee violence, persecution, or economic despair, only to find themselves in precarious situations in their new countries, is immense.
Over the years, we have interviewed numerous young African migrants who have shared harrowing accounts of their journeys through Libya to reach Europe. Tragically, many of these individuals find themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation by their own countrymen in Italy.
The challenges they face are profound and multifaceted, ranging from depression and mental health issues to various forms of exploitation. All this is to say that the struggles confronting African migrants in Italy and across Europe have only intensified, highlighting a pressing need for greater awareness and support.
The Weight of Isolation and Trauma
According to a publication by Arena, the topic discussed on Monday morning at the Verona prefecture was mental health for those arriving in Italy, the challenges they face, and ways to address these issues.
Among those present were Prefect Demetrio Martino, mayors, representatives from Ulss9, the heads of the CAS (Extraordinary Reception Centers), and law enforcement agencies.
The meeting, according to the article, was prompted by a document received from Rome, the guidelines from the Ministry of the Interior “for the identification and management of vulnerable individuals arriving in the territory and integrated into the protection and reception system.”
Reflecting on my time at the prefecture and immigrant protection in Verona, I recall an interview we conducted in 2016 with the Vice-Prefect of Verona, Dr. Alessandro Tortorella.
This interview was part of our research project focused on the African presence in Verona, specifically targeting incoming African asylum seekers, which we titled “We Refugees, Verona 2016.”
The project culminated in a conference we organized in collaboration with the University of Verona to commemorate World Refugee Day. Dr. Tortorella was one of the featured speakers.
I vividly remember our conversation after the interview when Dr. Tortorella revealed that approximately 70% of African asylum seekers were unlikely to receive their permits. His words struck me deeply: “What will happen to all these people if they don’t get their permits?” Fast forward four years later, I still find this situation alarming and unresolved.
Imagine fleeing your home country, escaping conflict or dire economic hardship, and arriving in a foreign land, only to be met with an overwhelming sense of alienation.
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You can’t fully explain what it feels like to be perpetually “othered,” a stranger in every sense of the word. The emotional toll is staggering. This is the reality for many African migrants, and it plays a crucial role in shaping the mental health crisis among the diasporas.
According to a 2021 study by the World Health Organization (WHO), over 30% of refugees and migrants globally experience high levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Among African migrants in Europe, those figures are often higher due to additional layers of racial discrimination, economic exploitation, and legal uncertainty.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that African migrants are more likely to work in informal or exploitative jobs, often under hazardous conditions. All these exacerbate their vulnerability to mental health disorders.
For Diarra, his life in Italy was defined by precarious work in the agricultural fields. Like many others, he was paid meager wages—sometimes as little as 300 euros a month for long hours of labor.
These are common issues faced by African migrants across Europe. The constant fear of deportation, coupled with financial instability and the ever-present racism, contributes to a high incidence of mental health struggles. Yet, there is little in the way of institutional support.
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In some places, like the Centro Salute Immigrati (CESAIM) in Verona, there are attempts to address the health needs of migrants, but these facilities are under-resourced and often unable to provide comprehensive mental health care.
At most, you might be prescribed paracetamol and sent on your way. The deeper issues—the trauma from your journey, the daily racism, the alienation—are left untreated.
For Diarra, even turning to such centers was too much in the end. His depression worsened, and he began skipping appointments. Friends say he stopped believing in the possibility of a future in Italy.
He just wanted to go home, but the road back to Mali seemed as impossible as the one that brought him to Europe. On the day he was killed, it is said that he was in a state of mental disorder, trying to attack police officers with a knife.
It’s unclear what truly happened in those final moments, but what is clear is that Diarra should never have been in that situation in the first place.
Systemic Neglect and the Role of Authorities
What local authorities fail to recognize is that migrants like Diarra are not just individuals with administrative needs—they are human beings carrying the weight of extraordinary emotional and psychological burdens. The failure to address these burdens is a failure of governance, and it often leads to tragic outcomes.
The European Union has acknowledged the mental health crisis among migrants, but efforts to address it have been slow and insufficient.
Local authorities must do more to provide culturally appropriate mental health services to migrants. This includes training healthcare professionals to recognize the signs of trauma and depression in migrant populations and creating outreach programs that actively seek to engage those who may be suffering in silence.
Moreover, governments need to address the root causes of the mental health crisis, including poverty, exploitation, and racial discrimination against migrants.
Conclusion – The Path Forward
You see the flowers, the candles, and the sorrow etched on the faces of those who knew Diarra. But what you don’t see—what the world doesn’t see—is the ongoing suffering of countless others like him.
The African diaspora continues to grow, with millions seeking new lives in Europe, North America, and beyond. But with that growth comes an urgent need to address the mental health crisis that is brewing beneath the surface.
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The International Organization for Migration estimates that there are over 36 million people in the African diaspora globally, with significant populations in Europe.
As migration patterns continue, the need for comprehensive mental health services for migrants becomes ever more critical. The European Union and individual countries must take action now, not just to provide healthcare, but to create environments where African migrants feel supported, valued, and safe.
In the end, what the people seek is simple: dignity, respect, and the chance to live a life free from fear and despair. Diarra’s story is a reminder that, for many in the African diaspora, these basic human rights remain out of reach.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. By acknowledging the mental health crisis among African migrants and taking concrete steps to address it, we can prevent future tragedies and create a world where no one is left to suffer in silence.
Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.
