A police officer was filmed repeatedly kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying face down at Manchester Airport. The uniformed officer, seen holding a Taser, struck the man twice while other officers shouted at onlookers to stay back.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at the airport’s Terminal 2, where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said firearms officers had been attacked while trying to arrest someone involved in a fight. GMP has referred itself to the police watchdog.
The video sparked widespread anger, leading to a protest outside the police station in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on Wednesday evening. The Manchester Evening News reported that one protester told the crowd they would “no longer settle” for “police brutality.”
“A protest held last night outside Rochdale Police Station about our response at Manchester Airport has concluded safely, without incident,” Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry said in a statement obtained early on Thursday by BBC News.
GMP earlier said one officer had been removed from operational duties over the events, and it had referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over the events.
In an earlier statement, Assistant Chief Constable Chaudhry said: “We know that a film of an incident at Manchester Airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking, and that people are rightly extremely concerned about.
“The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and one that we understand creates alarm.
“One male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.”
The IOPC said it would assess GMP’s referral “and decide what further action is required”.
Firearms officers had been called to the airport at about 20:25 BST on Tuesday after reports of an altercation by members of the public, a police spokesman said.
Three officers were “punched to the ground” in a “violent assault” when they attempted to arrest one of the suspects, he added.
“As the attending officers were firearms officers, there was a clear risk during this assault of their firearms being taken from them.”
Three officers were taken to hospital for treatment, with one female officer suffering a broken nose.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of assault, assault on an emergency worker, affray, and obstructing police, while two other men were also arrested on suspicion of affray and assault on an emergency worker, police confirmed.
‘Difficult to watch’
Amar Minhas from Leeds told the BBC he was coming through arrivals when he saw the scene unfold.
He said police officers had approached one of the men, in his early 20s, and told him he was a wanted man, before “they pinned him up against a wall”.
Another man then “started on the police” and a fight ensued, he said.
The man who was being pinned against the wall started “throwing punches, he was Tasered, and fell to the floor”, Mr Minhas said.
“That’s when the policeman kicked him.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, described the video as “disturbing” and said he recognised “the widespread and deep concern” it had caused.
He said he had raised his concerns with GMP’s deputy chief constable.
Andy George, president of the National Black Police Association, described the video as “difficult to watch”.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “Whilst policing is a really difficult job, we are trained to a higher standard and held to a higher standard.”
Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson also posted on X: “I am aware of disturbing footage from an incident at Manchester Airport this afternoon and understand the public concern it has prompted.
“I have asked for a full update from Greater Manchester Police.”
Commenting on the protest in Rochdale, and noting the referral already made to the IOPC, ACC Chaudhry said: “We understand the immense feeling of concern and worry that people feel about our response and fully respect their right to demonstrate their views peacefully.”
He added: “We have spent the evening listening to community feedback and will continue to engage with communities and elected members to maintain strong partnership links and understand local views.”