Greater Manchester Police has found itself at the centre of a storm after footage was shared online appearing to show one of its officers kicking and stamping on a teenager’s head at Manchester Airport
Video footage of an armed police officer appearing to strike teenager as he lay on the floor at Manchester Airport has sparked protests and debate.
Fahir Khan, 19, has been named as the teenager allegedly kicked and stamped on – while his brother Amaad, 25, has been named as the other man seen in footage apparently being hauled across the floor and pinned down by cops.
A woman understood to be their mother was also allegedly pushed in the disturbing footage, which was taken on Tuesday evening. It is unclear what sparked the incident, although Greater Manchester Police has claimed its officers were attacked during an arrest.
Today, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said a Greater Manchester Police constable is now under criminal investigation for assault.
Here is what we know so far:
What happened?
Initial footage shared online appears to show a uniformed male officer holding a Taser over 19-year-old Fahir lying restrained on the ground before kicking him twice. The officer appeared to kick the young man in the face before stamping on his head.
Family sources claimed Fahir and Amaad were defending their mother after she was allegedly involved in a row during the flight with a male passenger. She was reportedly picking up her luggage in Terminal 2 when the same man pushed her with his trolley and made racist comments towards her.
It is claimed that she pointed the man out to her sons and a fight broke out after one confronted the man – leading to the police being called.
More footage has since been shared on social media allegedly showing officers using physical force on other men at the airport and using pepper spray.
They can also be heard shouting at people in the airport to “shut the f*** up” as they handcuff the men.
In one of the newly emerged clips, a woman appears to be shoved out of the way by police and shouted at as she tries to help the men.
A police spokesman said firearms officers were punched to the ground after trying to make an arrest following a fight in the airport.
Four men were later arrested on suspicion of assault and affray, and all have since been bailed.
What happened to the officer?
An officer was initially suspended from all duties following the incident.
But in an update released this afternoon, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said a Greater Manchester Police constable is under criminal investigation for assault.
Prior to the update, a spokesman for GMP’s police federation said it was supporting the suspended officer, as well as “all of our colleagues who were involved in this incident”.
They added: “Everyone has the right to a fair hearing where all sides of the story are told and context is provided.”
TikTok lawyer
Lawyer Akhmed Yakoob has claimed he is representing the family.
Mr Yakoob also posted a video on Instagram, saying that he would be meeting the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) today, adding that there would be “light at the end of the tunnel” and he was “confident that justice will prevail”.
Nicknamed the TikTok lawyer Mr Yakoob said all the officers seen in the video should be suspended and even face criminal prosecutions under the joint enterprise law.
What ex-police think
Former police officers have been weighing in on the officer’s use of force.
Ex-chief superintendent of the Met Police, Dal Babu, told BBC Radio 4 the police actions were “appalling and unnecessary” and he thinks racism played a part in the incident.
He said the men were arrested for affray and assault, not offences at the “serious end” like attempted murder, gross bodily harm, or malicious wounding.
He said: “I think racism played a significant part in this”, and said GMP were “slow out of the block in understanding the seriousness” of the incident at a time when trust in police was “so low”.
And retired police firearms officer Kevin Hurley told Sky: “Yes, it looks bad, but we don’t know exactly what went on before and we don’t know the officer’s mindset.
“If a suspect’s not complying, the mindset you’re going to adopt potentially, especially the firearms officer in an airport, is: is this a terrorism related incident?
“Which is therefore going to mean you’re going to take an approach where you want to neutralise a suspect, so they cannot cause more of a problem.
“He seemed to be down with one arm out, but you can’t see the other one. It is possible that within this mindset, if the officer decides to make sure the suspect is truly down, he would stamp on his head.”
The former Met and regional crime squad officer added: “Police are allowed to use whatever force they feel reasonable. The officer will have to explain his thinking at the time.
“When he’s judged, as he will be now, was it reasonable in the circumstances? If he perceived it as an active terrorist incident and he can explain that, then quite honestly kicking and stamping on his head is not unreasonable.”
Protests sparked
The footage sparked a protest outside Rochdale police station on Wednesday night, with hundreds of people gathering and chanting “shame on you”.
And the angry protests continued for a second night on Thursday, with roads and tram lines blocked in Manchester city centre and hundreds of protesters gathered outside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s office.
Hundreds of protesters also held up Black Lives Matter placards, with demonstrators claiming the shocking videos showed the force was racist and calling for it to be “defunded”.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who met the home secretary Yvette Cooper over the incident, has appealed for calm.
Ms Cooper said she understood “the widespread distress” the footage had caused, adding she had spoken to police about the “urgent steps” they are taking.
She said it was “essential” police had the trust of communities, and the public “rightly expect high standards from those in charge of keeping us safe”.
Paul Waugh, the Labour MP for Rochdale, has now met the with family and said they are appealing for calm.
He told BBC Breakfast: “It’s clear from talking to them that they are traumatised. Lots of people saw that video clip and they are distressed by it.”
