An African refugee drowned in a canal in Venice as onlookers filmed him on their mobile phones while laughing and making racist comments.
Harrowing footage posted on Italian news websites shows the man struggling in the water in the Grand Canal.
Bystanders can be heard shouting at the migrant, with one yelling: "Go on, go back home."
Another unseen onlooker is heard to shout "Africa" while a third says: "He is stupid. He wants to die."
At least three life rings were thrown into the water near the man, who was named as 22-year-old Gambian Pateh Sabally.
But the victim did not appear to reach for them, raising speculation he wanted to commit suicide.
No-one jumped in to help him.
Police said the incident happened on Sunday.
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More than 181,000 migrants arrived in Italy by boat in 2016, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa, an increase of almost 18 percent compared with 2015.
Italian media said Sabally had residency papers for Italy.