A VIDEO has surfaced showing the events leading up to a police officer kicking a man's head at Manchester Airport.
The footage, obtained by the Manchester Evening News, revealed Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers attempting to restrain one man before another individual intervenes, resulting in a brawl. Two officers are seen being punched to the ground during the altercation.
The officer, who was later filmed kicking a man's head, is now facing disciplinary action and an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham stressed the complexity of the situation, urging the public to consider all perspectives and avoid hasty judgments based on partial information.
Akhmed Yakoob, representing the family of the man who was kicked, condemned the officer's actions, stating that no situation justifies such violence against a defenseless person. He added that the officers involved were highly trained and should not have lost their composure.
In the new footage, a man in grey clothes is seen struggling with an officer, with punches exchanged. Another man in blue punches two other officers to the ground.
The first officer then points a taser at the man in grey. As this happens, the man in blue runs over and punches the officer, who then tasers him. The man in blue falls to the ground, still grappling with the first officer.
An older woman, who had fallen earlier, crawls to the man in blue, who is face down on the floor. The first officer then aims his Taser at the man in blue before kicking him in the head. The video ends there, but previously released footage shows the officer stamping on the man's head.
Further analysis by the BBC indicated that the violence did not stop there. Another video appears to show the officer who stamped on the man's head approaching the man in grey, stamping on his thigh, and hitting him on the head with a taser. Another officer is seen pepper-spraying bystanders filming the incident.
Following the incident, protests erupted outside a police station in Rochdale, with demonstrators accusing GMP of institutional racism. The family of the man who was stamped on has called for calm, expressing concern over extremists potentially exploiting the incident for their own agendas.
Rochdale MP Paul Waugh said that the family has no political motives and seeks peace in all communities.
Meanwhile, the GMP acknowledged the widespread concerns over the footage and explained that the officers faced a significant risk, including the possibility of having their firearms taken.
Following the incident, three officers were hospitalised, including a female officer with a broken nose. Four men, aged 19, 25, 28, and 31, were arrested on suspicion of affray and assault and later released on bail.
Mayor Burnham urged the public to allow the IOPC's investigation to proceed without interference, stressing the importance of presenting a complete and accurate account of the events.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar criticised calls for considering the incident's context, stating that there is no justification for such police behaviour.
