The UK was shocked last week by a viral video showing a young man being stomped on at Manchester Airport. This incident ignited outrage within the British Pakistani community and led to widespread protests. The Greater Manchester Police (GMP), already facing criticism, saw renewed accusations of racism and calls for the dismissal of the involved officers. The force was further condemned for fostering a toxic, institutionally racist, and misogynistic culture.
In response to the unrest, the Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre acknowledged the "real sense of mistrust in the system" and emphasised the GMP's responsibility to rebuild community trust. Authorities have urged the public to remain calm as an independent investigation continues.
The disturbing footage, recorded on July 23 at Terminal 2, shows an armed officer kicking and stamping on a man's head during an attempted arrest. Police reported they were responding to an 'altercation' when the incident occurred. The video, widely circulated on social media, captures a male officer aiming a taser at a man lying on the ground before assaulting him. Onlookers can be heard shouting for the officers to stop, while a female officer aims her taser at other individuals.
The dramatic footage quickly garnered thousands of views, prompting the GMP to acknowledge concerns about the conduct depicted. The incident is now under review by the Professional Standards Directorate.
Two sides to the story
New video footage surfaced over the weekend showing the events leading up to a now-viral scene where a police officer appears to kick a man in the head. The new 30-second clip depicts a group of people around a ticket machine in the Terminal 2 car park.
Three police officers, one male and two female, are seen restraining a man in a light blue top and shorts. Another man, wearing a black T-shirt, circles the male officer and seemingly begins to attack him. The two men appear to start punching each other while the first man strikes the two female officers multiple times.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham commented on the new footage, stating, "This is a complicated situation with two sides to it" and urged people "not to rush to judgement."
Mr Burnham said, “Following incidents in the lead-up to the footage people have seen, four individuals were arrested and are now on police bail. It is frustrating that we have not been able to put more video into the public domain, but that is because this is a live investigation.
“People now need to step back and allow the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) criminal investigation into the officer’s conduct to move forward, alongside the parallel GMP investigation into other potential offences, so that a complete picture can be presented.”
Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Kate Green said, “The footage that emerged over the weekend gives people a more complete picture of the events that led up to the incident we all saw last week. As both the Mayor and I said, this was a complex situation that escalated very quickly and there are issues for both sides.
“The Mayor and I are determined that the right processes are being followed…In parallel to this, the IOPC will continue its criminal investigation into the police officer’s conduct. The most important thing now is to allow these investigations to move forward without interference or prejudgement. We all want to see the investigations concluded as quickly as possible, but it’s right that we now step back and allow both GMP and the IOPC to carry out their work.”
Racism at play behind this brutality?
Racism played a “significant part” in the incident at Manchester Airport, according to a former Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent. Dal Babu, who served for over 30 years in the Met, described the video of the arrest as shocking and “totally appalling.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Babu stated that the force used was “totally excessive” on a man who was “effectively defenceless,” and added, “I think racism played a significant part in this.” He emphasised the seriousness of the incident, noting that it comes at a time when trust in the police is already very low.
Babu remarked, “This is a very, very serious incident, and at a time when trust in the police is so low, this is another example of an incident where people will be further concerned. In the old days, it used to be minorities, LGBTQ people, and young people who had less confidence in the police, but now, more and more people, regardless of their background, are losing trust.”
He suggested that the Home Office would likely take a keen interest in the case. “This is a really significant incident that needs to be dealt with effectively, and I’m not sure that Greater Manchester Police has the skills necessary to manage working with the communities to try and reduce the tension,” Babu added.
Following the incident, hundreds of people, including members of Stand Up to Racism, protested outside the police station in Rochdale. Nahella Ashraf, from Manchester Stand Up to Racism, said, “The footage of a group of armed police officers brutally attacking a family at Manchester Airport highlights why so many people across this country no longer trust the police. They are clearly not there to protect us. We demand the racist police officers be sacked and a full investigation of GMP be carried out. This is not an isolated example of brutal force being used on Black people. Clearly, GMP has a racism problem.”
There is a wider problem within GMP, she told Asian Voice. Citing a separate racial discrimination investigation in Bury, she said, “In a 2021 report, commissioned by Andy Burnham, it was concluded that GMP was ‘institutionally racist’. What is worrying is the fact that this finding was rejected by GMP Chief Constable Watson.
“The inflammatory remarks made by Reform MPs, in particular, Lee Anderson MP who “applauds the actions of the police officers” and would “give a medal to the officer” filmed kicking and stamping on the man’s head is just another indication of racism in wider society. Someone in his position should not get away with making such comments.”
Nahella does not believe that do this incident would have happened if it was not a Muslim family. “We also don’t believe that Andy Burham, MPs, the home office, etc would be talking about the context, if it wasn’t for the high level of Islamophobia and general racism in society at this time.
“The most basic demand we have is that all the police officers involved in the airport incident be sacked and criminal proceedings brought against them. They should never be allowed to be a part of the police force. We also want Andy Burnham to sack the police constabulary for allowing this toxic culture to exist in the police force that is not only, institutionally racist but is misogynistic.”
While she demands strong action, she does not believe diversity and inclusion within the force to be a problem. “If you look at the family who was so brutally attacked by the police at the airport, some of their members are in the police force. This does not stop the police because we believe they are rotten to the core and this comes from the top of the organisation. This is about GMP Police Constable Watson leading a force that is not fit for purpose”, she said.
Baroness Shaista Gohir, CEO of Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) said, “This incident has remnants of the George Floyd murder, and is a stark reminder that minority communities are more likely to face police brutality. What is further concerning is that on social media many have praised the police response, including Richard Tice MP of the Reform Party, who described the police response as 'reassuring.' When police brutality is applauded by influential public figures, it is likely to fuel further racism and Islamophobia."
Asian Voice reached out to Independent Office for Police Conduct for their statement regarding the racism claims. The independent body responded stating, “On the question of discrimination being a factor, we are still in the very early stages of our investigation and this will be under consideration during the investigation. Any determinations on this will be made when lines of enquiry are concluded.”
Request for peace as tensions escalate
The family of a man who was kicked and stamped on during an arrest at Manchester Airport have requested "no further protests," according to their local MP. Rochdale MP Paul Waugh stated that the family has asked for "calm" and for "due process" to be allowed to take place.
Mr. Waugh posted a statement on X titled "Rochdale Family Plea to Communities," which read, "The family involved in the Manchester Airport incident has issued an appeal for calm and healing, requesting that people refrain from attending the planned demonstration at Manchester Airport this weekend.
"We would also not like anyone to be inconvenienced as a result." The statement added that the family "appreciated the support given" but "urged everyone to respect their wishes during this difficult time."
Mr. Waugh noted that a meeting held in Rochdale on Friday "made clear that this is a community that strongly believes in the rule of law, that the criminal justice system should follow the evidence wherever it leads, and that offenders should be punished appropriately." He added, "Those present also rightly stressed that the law should be applied equally to everyone and that no one, particularly the police, should be above the law."
The Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre(GLMCC) has also called for an independent investigation while encouraging Birmingham residents to remain calm. In a statement released on July 26, GLMCC said: "GLMCC is appalled at the recent incident that took place at Manchester Airport. The violent assault by Greater Manchester Police officers, with one officer in particular, has shocked and disgusted us.”
The statement welcomed GMP's decision to suspend the main perpetrator and its self-referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, urging necessary actions. “We encourage our congregation to remain calm. This incident was close to us all, and there has been a real sense of mistrust in the system. It is now the responsibility of GMP to act accordingly and swiftly to rebuild trust in the community and professionalism in the Force,” the statement read.
