Marrakech: "Attempted murder", the chilling account of the Italian writer mowed down by a motorcycle
Nicoletta Bortolotti’s dream stay in Marrakech turned into a bloody drama. Mowed down by a motorcycle in the middle of the medina, the Italian writer narrowly escaped death, but now recalls the immense wave of solidarity that followed her savage attack.
The morning of November 28th was supposed to mark the start of an excursion to Essaouira, but it turned into a crime scene just steps away from Jemaa el-Fna square. Two individuals speeding on a motorcycle rammed into the author to snatch her bag. The violence of the impact brutally threw her to the ground, causing her to lose consciousness under the eye of a surveillance camera from a neighboring business.
The evacuation to the hospital revealed the seriousness of her injuries: a concussion and a deep head wound requiring stitches. Amidst the pain, Nicoletta Bortolotti describes exemplary medical teams and a doctor who stitched her head with an "unforgettable smile". However, the ordeal continued at the airport: deprived of her stolen passport during the attack, the airline refused her boarding, forcing her on an administrative journey to the Casablanca consulate to obtain a laissez-passer.
Faced with this isolated violence, the victim describes a moving popular reaction. Merchants, drivers, residents and even a homeless person mobilized to rescue her and apologize on behalf of their country. The police have since arrested the assailants, who face a heavy indictment for attempted murder. Despite the shock, the Italian woman refuses revenge and hopes for a justice that punishes without destroying the future of these young people, stating that the compassion she received was "stronger than the pain".
