The family of a man who was kicked in the head by a Greater Manchester Police officer during violence at Manchester Airport have said they have “real concern” for the officers who were injured.
Last week, footage of the Manchester police officer kicking the man in the head as he lay face down went viral on social media, sparking outrage and protests. On Saturday, the Manchester Evening News exclusively shared a second video that appeared to show the set-up for the incident.
The video shows scenes of violence between two men, a police officer and two policewomen, during an arrest at Terminal 2 of Manchester Airport. In the footage, several punches appear to have been thrown by the two men involved, with one policewoman falling to the ground as she was punched in the face.
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The officers, one of whom was holding a stun gun, were also seen throwing punches in an attempt to subdue the two men, before the incident involving the kicking. According to the BBC, the family of the man who was kicked said they were “really worried” about the officers in light of the new footage.
The family’s new representative, who replaced “TikTok lawyer” Akhmed Yakoob after he announced he was “stepping down” from the case, also said: “If someone has broken the law, they should face due process.”
The two men in the video were previously named Muhammad Fahir Amaaz and Amaad Amaaz. It had previously been claimed that tests had revealed that one of them had a brain cyst.
The family’s new representative reportedly said the victim was “traumatized” and needed to undergo further testing. “There is no context that justifies an assault while someone is on the ground,” the representative added.
Rochdale MP Paul Waugh last night issued a new statement in light of the second video, saying both parties involved in the incident were “shocking”. The Labour MP expressed his “shock” at the assault by the two police officers and the officer’s kicking of the man to the ground.
The Labour MP stressed that “anyone who commits criminal attacks on our police should face the full force of the law”. He added that “no police officer should be above the law”.
A Greater Manchester Police officer has been informed he is under criminal investigation for assault following the incident, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Friday. GMP has opened a public portal for more footage and is appealing for witnesses to three incidents.
The first incident was an “altercation between passengers” on Qatar Airways flight QR023 which arrived at 7.20pm, which may have taken place on board the aircraft or in the T2 baggage hall. There was then a “violent altercation involving members of the public” in T2 at around 8.22pm, GMP said.
At 8:28 p.m., at the terminal’s parking payment point, three police officers were assaulted and injured in the head, including a broken nose, police added. You can click on the link here to access the public portal where information, images and videos can be shared.
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