Former Hibs midfielder Stephane Omeonga has reported that he was arrested and assaulted by police on Christmas Day.

The Belgian athlete had two loan periods at Easter Road, where he accumulated a total of 27 appearances.

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Omeonga later made 57 Premiership appearances for Livingston over two seasons before moving to Israeli club Bnei Sakhnin two summers ago.

Recently, he accused Italian law enforcement of mistreatment after an attempt to fly to Tel Aviv last week, describing the experience as “total humiliation.”

The 28-year-old shared footage on social media that seemed to depict him being forcibly ejected from an aircraft after an incident involving the officers.

Hailing from Liege, Omeonga expressed on Instagram: “On December 25th, I became a victim of police brutality.

“While preparing to board a flight from Rome to Tel Aviv, a flight attendant informed me of an alleged issue with my documents and asked me to disembark.

“Thinking my documentation was correct, I calmly inquired about the nature of the issue.

“The police were summoned, and I was handcuffed and forcefully removed from the plane. Once outside, away from any witnesses, the police violently slammed me to the ground and attacked me, with one officer pressing his knee against my head.

“I was then transported in a police vehicle, handcuffed as if I were a criminal, to the airport. An ambulance came, but I was in shock and unable to answer the paramedics’ questions. Soon after, I heard an officer on the radio claim that I had rejected medical assistance, asserting that ‘everything is fine.’

“This was completely false; I wanted to go with the ambulance because I feared what the police might do to me.

“Afterward, I was confined in a grey room without food or water and left in total humiliation for several hours. Upon my release, I found out that a police officer had accused me of injuries supposedly caused during my arrest, even though I was restrained.

Hibs players celebrate a 2-1 victory over Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the Boxing Day derby

To this day, I have yet to receive any explanation for my arrest.

“As a human being and a father, I cannot support any form of discrimination. This arrest is merely the visible tip of the iceberg. 

“Many individuals who resemble me face significant challenges in securing employment, adequate housing, or participating in the sports they love, solely based on their race.

“We must unite and raise our voices to enlighten those around us—our colleagues, neighbors, and friends—about this pressing issue that afflicts our society and hinders its advancement. Peace.”

Omeonga has represented Belgium’s Under-21 team eight times.

Of Congolese heritage, he has also played for clubs in Italy including Genoa, Avellino, and Pescara, as well as Cercle Brugge in Belgium, along with his time at Hibs and Livingston.

SunSport has reached out to the Italian National Police for comment.

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