REFORM UK is preparing to launch a private prosecution against the men involved in a confrontation with police officers at Manchester Airport earlier this year.
The party's MPs have written to home secretary Yvette Cooper, expressing concerns that the officers involved have been unfairly treated, while the men involved have faced no legal action to date, reported The Telegraph.
The incident gained attention in July when a video went viral showing a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer kicking 19-year-old Fahir Amaaz in the head at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2. The video also showed Amaaz and his brother Muhammad, 25, being restrained by officers, which led to protests in Rochdale and Manchester.
A second video, later obtained by the Manchester Evening News, revealed that the confrontation began when two female police officers were knocked to the ground, leading to the use of a taser on Amaaz.
Following the incident, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced that a GMP constable was under criminal investigation for assault in connection with the brothers' arrests. A second officer was also placed under investigation in August.
Reform MPs stated that they would give the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) time to consider prosecuting the men involved. However, if the CPS chooses not to proceed, Reform plans to initiate its own private prosecution, with a crowdfunding campaign to cover legal costs, the newspaper reported.
In their letter to the home secretary, Reform MPs argued that the delay in prosecuting the men involved is harming police morale and impacts officers' ability to perform their duties effectively. They also claimed that the brothers received "special treatment" and that there was a cover-up of key footage of the incident.
The family of Fahir Amaaz alleges the incident began after their mother, Shameem Akhtar, was racially abused on a Qatar Airways flight. They claim the altercation started when the sons confronted the alleged abuser at the airport, which later escalated to the involvement of police.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images