A police officer has been filmed kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the ground at Manchester Airport.
A male officer in uniform was seen holding a Taser above the man, who was face down, before striking him twice as another officer shouted at onlookers to stay back in a video shared online.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a firearms officer was attacked while trying to arrest a man following a fight in the airport’s Terminal 2 on Tuesday. He said he referred them to police supervisors.
Outrage has grown over the video and hundreds of people were seen protesting outside a police station in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on Wednesday evening.
The Manchester Evening News reported that one protester had told the crowd that they “will not settle” because of “police brutality”.
“The protest that took place yesterday outside Rochdale Police Station in relation to our response at Manchester Airport ended safely, without incident,” Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry said in a statement obtained early Thursday by BBC News.
GMP has previously said that one officer has been removed from operational duties over the event, and that they have referred the incident to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) and one officer has been removed from operational duties.
In an earlier statement, Assistant Chief Constable Chaudhry said: “We are aware that footage of what happened at Manchester Airport which has been widely circulated shows a shocking event, and people are very concerned.
“The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and we know it is alarming.
“A male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral from the police response to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
The IOPC said it would assess the GMP referral “and decide what is required”.
Firearms officers were called to the airport at around 20:25 BST on Tuesday following reports of an altercation by members of the public, a police spokesman said.
Three officers were “shot to the ground” in a “brutal attack” while trying to arrest one of the suspects, he added.
“As the attending officer was a firearms officer, there was a clear risk during the attack that the firearm was taken from him.”
Three officers were taken to hospital for treatment, and one female officer suffered a nose injury.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of assault, assaulting an emergency worker, affray, and obstructing police, while two others were also arrested on suspicion of assault and assault on an emergency worker, police confirmed.
‘Hard to watch’
Amar Minhas from Leeds told the BBC he was coming when he saw the scene.
He said the police officer had approached one of the men, in his early 20s, and told him he was the wanted man, before “they pinned him up against the wall”.
Others then “started the police” and a fight ensued, he said.
The man pinned against the wall started “throwing punches, he was Tasered, and he fell to the floor”, Mr Minhas said.
“That’s when the police kicked him.”
The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, described the video as “disturbing” and said he was aware of the “widespread and deep concern” it had caused.
He said he was concerned about GMP’s deputy chief constable.
Andy George, president of the National Black Police Association, described the video as “difficult to watch”.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “Although policing is a very difficult job, we are trained to a higher standard and held to a higher standard.”
Home Secretary Dame Diana Johnson also posted on X: “I am aware of the disturbing footage from what happened at Manchester Airport this afternoon and understand the public concern it has raised.
“I am requesting a full update from Greater Manchester Police.”
Commenting on the protests in Rochdale, and noting the referrals that have been made to the IOPC, ACC Chaudhry said: “We understand the concern and worry that people feel about our response and respect their right to express their views peacefully.”
He added: “We have spent the evening listening to community feedback and will continue to engage with communities and elected members to maintain strong partnership relationships and understand local views.”
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