Greater Manchester Police has suspended an armed officer from frontline duty after video footage emerged showing him kicking a man in the face during an arrest at Manchester airport.
The confrontation, described as “truly shocking” by a senior Greater Manchester police officer, was captured on several videos and went viral online.
One video shows the police officer kicking an Asian man’s head while he is restrained and face down on the ground. An older woman kneels beside him, hands on his back.
An elderly Muslim woman, reportedly the young man’s mother, tries to protect him. She was repeatedly aggressively pushed by the police officers in the video.
Family sources alledge an officer struck the mother’s face, triggering the severe confrontation.
Another video appears to show an officer pepper-spraying another man and then wrestling him to the ground.
“We know that a film of an incident at Manchester airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking, and that people are rightly extremely concerned about,” said GMP assistant chief constable Wasim Chaudhry
“The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and one that we understand creates alarm.
“One male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office [for] Police Conduct (IOPC).
He added that police were responding to an altercation between members of the public at Terminal 2 of the airport.
While attempting to arrest a suspect, three officers were allegedly injured, including one with a broken nose.
Four men were arrested on various charges including assault, affray, and assaulting emergency workers, added the chief constable.
“Racism played a significant part in this”
The man who was kicked has been found to have a cyst on his brain, according to his family lawyer, Akhmed Yakoob.
CT scans have revealed the extent of Mohammed Fahir’s injuries following the violent incident.
Yakoob said: “His medical condition has worsened since last night. A CT scan has revealed a cyst on his brain, so please pray for his wellbeing. Our main concern now is that the family receives justice and that incidents like this never happen again.”
Anger has grown over the videos, with hundreds of people joining a demonstration in Manchester organised by Stand Up To Racism on Thursday. A day earlier, several hundred people protested outside the police station in Rochdale.
Meanwhile social media erupted with accusations of police brutality and racism.
On BBC Radio 4, former Met chief superintendent Dal Babu called the force “totally excessive,” adding, “I think racism played a significant part in this.”
Nazir Afzal, a former chief crown prosecutor, said the officer’s actions had “no justification”.
Mayor Andy Burnham acknowledged the “widespread and deep concern” caused by the “disturbing” video.
He added that the full footage showed a “fast-moving and complicated” situation with “issues for both sides” but added it was “right” to suspend the office.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, wrote on X: “I am aware of disturbing footage from an incident at Manchester airport this afternoon and understand the public concern it has prompted. I have asked for a full update from Greater Manchester police.”
