Milan, Jan. 15 (LaPresse) – Tears and tension marked the funeral of Maati Moubakir, the 17-year-old stabbed to death on the streets of Campi Bisenzio, near Florence, around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 29, after a night spent at a nightclub. Three young men, aged 18 to 22, have been arrested in connection with the murder, while three others are under investigation but remain free.
At the end of the funeral service, held at the Church of Mercy in the Propositura of San Tommaso in Certaldo, the young man's white coffin was met with applause from the attendees, who then released white heart-shaped balloons into the air. "We will not forget you," "Keep making us laugh," read the banners displayed by Maati's friends.
Moments of tension occurred when an argument erupted near the chapel, during which a young man allegedly drew a knife. The boy, quickly apprehended by the carabinieri, was chased and heavily insulted by some of Maati's friends. "After what happened, you pull out a knife! This is a shame, with a knife at my friend's funeral who's dead!" yelled the group.
Once calm was restored, Maati's father, Farid Moubakir, commented: "It seems these boys haven't learned anything yet. In a moment of pain and anger, certain incidents arise that have nothing to do with this… We are deeply sorry."
"Today is a day to remember Maati. I don't even want to talk about what happened. There will be other moments when we will discuss what many boys need to understand, the struggles these boys face, all the anger they carry. Society has failed again," added the victim's mother, Silvia Baragatti.