Since the beginning of the affair, the Consulate General of Italy in Miami has been following the case of compatriot Matteo Falcinelli, the 25- year-old student from Spoleto, who was arrested by the police in Miami Beach on the night between 24 and 25 February and released after two days.
At the time of his arrest, Mr Falcinelli was subjected to particularly violent detention, as witnessed even by the body-cams of the police officers who made the arrest. For this reason, besides following the case and assisting the family with the legal aspects, the Consul General in Miami emphasised with the local authorities that the treatment the young man had suffered was unacceptable. In Rome, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani has already called for utmost attention to the case by the US Ambassador to Italy, Jack Markell, recalling that the Italian government dutifully follows every case of detention of Italian citizens abroad.
Falcinelli had been arrested outside a discotheque. The Miami police had charged him with several offences, including non-violent resistance to arrest. He was released two days after his arrest. The Consulate General in Miami immediately took action: besides intervening with the local authorities, it provided the necessary assistance to the compatriot and his family, by also providing contacts of the legal office then chosen by the family.
Until the conclusion of the affair, the Consulate General – in agreement with the Foreign Ministry – will continue to assist the compatriot, by maintaining close contacts with the family.
