A mayor in northeastern Italy has praised a 56-year-old Japanese man who died Tuesday after being beaten for trying to intervene in a fight.
Alberto Felice De Toni, the mayor of Udine in northern Italy, declared a day of mourning in honor of Shimpei Tominaga on Wednesday, saying his loss represents “a serious and painful wound” for the city.
Local media reported that Tominaga, a Japanese businessman who ran a furniture business in Udine, was beaten last Friday while trying to break up a fight. He fell into a coma and was placed in intensive care at a local hospital, but died on Tuesday.
Samuele Battistella, 20, was arrested along with two others on suspicion of manslaughter for allegedly hitting Tominaga, Italy’s Sky TG24 reported.
Flags at public buildings in the city were flying at half-mast or draped in black on Wednesday, according to the local government.
Udine is known for hosting the Far East Film Festival, the largest Asian film festival outside Asia.
Staff writer Gabriele Ninivaggi contributed to this report.
