Solicitor Aamer Anwar will represent the men involved in the Manchester Airport police incident in which a man was punched in the head by an officer while he was being arrested.
Anwar, who was born in Manchester to Pakistani parents, announced he would take over the case of Fahir Amaaz, Muhammad Amaad, their mother and family after their previous lawyer withdrew.
He also claimed that the mother of the arrested men had been racially abused before their detention.
Anwar, 56, said: “I am being instructed on behalf of Fahir Amaaz, Muhammad Amaad, their mother and family regarding the incident at Manchester Airport on Tuesday 23 July 2024.
“The family requests that no media representatives visit their home, all contact should be made through their lawyer.
“I have spoken to the IOPC about making a formal complaint and expect all police CCTV and body camera footage to be preserved.
“There can be no excuse for any footage to inadvertently disappear.
“If some police officers behave like this in an area full of surveillance cameras and in the presence of so many witnesses, then one can wonder what they are capable of when there is no such evidence.
“Highly trained police officers can never use provocation or emotion to justify the use of excessive, unlawful or potentially deadly force.
“I also urge any members of the public who witnessed the incident or were victims of police violence to come forward and contact the IOPC or my office.
“The family, a number of whom are serving police officers, wish to make it clear that if any member of their family has engaged in criminal conduct, they must face due process.
“However, repeated attempts by so-called police sources to create a false narrative or context are of no assistance to an IOPC investigation.
“We expect GMP to arrest a member of the public accused of subjecting the brothers’ 60-year-old mother to a tirade of racist abuse and assault – which is what sparked the incident – the police of course have his details and must act immediately.
“In the coming days, once the formal legal steps and our investigations are complete, the family will make a full statement at a press conference.”
The new legal representation comes after ‘TikTok lawyer’ Akhmed Yakoob, who represented the family at the centre of the Manchester Airport police incident, announced he was stepping down.
Yakoob is a Birmingham-based lawyer with nearly 210,000 followers on TikTok.
Taking to social media, he said: “The media tried to sabotage me, this is not the first time they have done this. They made this whole situation a personal matter and not a police fault.
“After consulting with the family, I have decided to step aside for now and have recommended that the family seek legal counsel. But I will be monitoring this closely. I want to make it clear that I am not in favor of violence, whether it is committed by police officers or civilians. Always remember that.”
He initially took over the case shortly after video emerged showing a man being kicked in the head during an airport arrest last Tuesday.
However, after new videos surfaced, he confirmed that he had asked another lawyer to take over the case.
Protests have taken place across Manchester condemning what protesters say is police brutality.
On Saturday, new footage emerged that allegedly shows preparations for the incident that sparked controversy and protests.
The video reportedly shows a violent fight taking place moments before the officer kicked one of the men.
The family lawyer who is at the heart of the
New footage has emerged showing the chaotic scenes that led to an arrest in a Terminal 2 car park on Tuesday 23 July.
The video shows two men and several police officers involved in a violent altercation.
An officer can be seen attempting to subdue one of the men before blows are apparently thrown from both sides.
A man, dressed in light blue, who was initially arrested, managed to free himself and punched the policewomen present several times.
The footage then shows both women being punched in the head and face, with one of them being punched to the ground and kicked while she was on the ground.
While many have condemned the behaviour of the officer who has been suspended pending an investigation, Reform MP Lee Anderson has been accused of being “irresponsible” after saying the police deserve a medal.
Anwar called for a public inquiry after Iain Packer was found guilty in March of murdering Emma Caldwell and 32 other charges, including 11 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against a total of 22 women.
He said Crown prosecutors and police have serious questions to answer and lessons to learn from a botched investigation that allowed Iain Packer to walk free for 19 years despite an abundance of evidence he was the killer.
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