Police officer who kicked man in the head in Manchester airport under criminal investigation for assault
26 July 2024, 15:15 | Updated: 26 July 2024, 15:33
A police officer who kicked a man in the head in Manchester Airport is under criminal investigation for assault.
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Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said that the police constable was also being investigated for potential gross misconduct for alleged breaches of police professional standards - including his use of force.
The officer had previously been suspended. The IOPC said the investigation does not mean that criminal charges will definitely follow.
The kicking video has sparked outrage and concern, with protests on the street in Manchester on Thursday evening.
The man's lawyer Akhmed Yakoob told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the kicking was akin to an assassination attempt.
Warning: the below video contains violent scenes
He's wearing shorts, legs are exposed, hands by his side, doesn't appear to be carrying any weapons. Position he has adopted would indicate compliance. Being kicked to the back of head is a prima facie assault & against Home Office approved techniques. Chap on bench assaulted too pic.twitter.com/uh7FY75iJH
— 🅚🅐🅢🅗 🅐🅗🅜🅔🅓 (@KashAhmed77) July 24, 2024
Mr Yakoob said his client, 19-year-old Mohammed Fahir, had been in hospital for a CT scan which revealed he was suffering from a head injury.
In the video, the teenager was seen being kicked in the face and his head was stamped on by the armed police officer. The man, who appears to have been tasered, lies on the ground as the officer takes aim at him, and then kneels on his back.
A woman kneels next to him on the floor during the kicking. Another man is also restrained forcibly while sitting on a nearby chair, as bystanders watch on in astonishment.
Police said that they had been called out to an altercation between members of the public, and were attacked while responding.
'It was an attempted assassination', lawyer representing two men Manchester Airport
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said on Thursday that it was "not a clear-cut situation".
Having seen extra footage leading up to the incident, he said it "escalates very quickly".
Mr Yakoob told Nick on Friday that the footage was "concerning because if police officers who are meant to protect us are going around trying to kill people, how are the public going to feel safe?"
He added: "One of the boys was threatened to get killed by a police officer."
Mr Yakoob said: "The main concern for us, for me, is that the family receive justice and this no longer happens again."
Shelagh Fogarty caller defends the force used by the suspended Manchester police officer
On Thursday evening, crowds descended on St Peter’s Square in Manchester before marching towards the Town Hall, with protesters carrying signs that accused Greater Manchester Police of being ‘racist’.
Others carried signs that read ‘no justice, no peace’ and ‘Black Lives Matter’.
IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said on Friday afternoon: "We can confirm we are conducting a criminal investigation into the use of force during events which took place on 23 July at Manchester Airport. We are arranging to interview a police constable under criminal caution as soon as possible.
"I have today met one of the men who was involved and his family members to outline our investigation and we will continue to update them and Greater Manchester Police as our enquiries progress. We will be speaking to the man involved in the second incident as soon as we can.
"The family has asked me to reiterate their call for peace and wish to stress that they do not condone any acts of violence as a result of this incident.
"We are meeting with a number of community leaders in Rochdale this afternoon to listen to their concerns and explain our role.
"Our investigation continues to gather relevant evidence and will be following a number of lines of enquiry. We will provide further updates when we are in a position to do so."
