Stephane Omeonga, former midfielder for Genoa, Avellino and Pescara, now playing for the Israeli team Bnei Sakhnin, has publicly denounced an episode of alleged police brutality, sharing his version of events in a post on Instagram. The incident dates back to December 25, Christmas Day, and the Belgian player did not hesitate to call it a case of racism.
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The story of the former footballer
According to Omeonga, it all started during a flight from Rome to Tel Aviv. “After I boarded and took my seat, a steward approached me about an alleged problem with my documents, asking me to leave the plane,” the 28-year-old explained. Confident in the validity of his documents, Omeonga asked for explanations. However, the situation quickly escalated: “They called the police. I was handcuffed and forcibly removed from the plane. Once I was out of sight of witnesses, the officers threw me to the ground, beat me, and one of them pressed his knee on my head.”
The humiliation suffered
Omeonga continued his story, describing the next few hours as a traumatic experience: “An ambulance arrived, but I was in shock and could not respond to the paramedics. Then, on the police car radio, I heard that I would refuse medical attention, which was completely untrue. I was scared and asked to be taken away in the ambulance. Afterwards, I was locked in a grey room, without food or water, and left in conditions of total humiliation for hours.”
The accusation and reflection on discrimination
The footballer added that, upon his release, he was informed that a police officer had filed a complaint against him for assault, despite the fact that he had been handcuffed throughout the entire episode. “I have not yet received any justification for my arrest,” he said.
In his message, Omeonga then expanded on the topic of racism: “As a human being and a father, I cannot tolerate any form of discrimination. This arrest is just the tip of the iceberg. People who look like me face discrimination on a daily basis: they can’t find jobs, they don’t have access to housing, or they can’t participate in the sports they love, simply because they are black.”
A Call for Change
The footballer concluded with an invitation to fight racism and promote education: “We must remain united and raise our voices to raise awareness among colleagues, neighbors and friends on this issue that afflicts our society. Only in this way can we build a better future. Peace”.
Omeonga's story has already garnered thousands of reactions online, shedding light on a sensitive yet urgent issue.
Article published on 1 January 2025 - 20:24
Video Chronicles
I read the article and it seems to me that the situation described by Omeonga is very worrying. It is sad that in the 21st century there are still episodes of racism and violence by the authorities. This should make us reflect.