Police chiefs rally behind suspended officer after Manchester Airport incident

29 July 2024, 07:35 | Updated: 29 July 2024, 08:25

Warning: the below video contains violent scenes

VIDEO - New Manchester Airport video shows chaotic scene before man kicked in head by police officer.- MEN MEDIA

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Police chiefs have rallied behind an armed officer who was suspended from duty after kicking a teenager in the head at Manchester Airport last week.

The family of Muhammed Fahir, 19, who was kicked in the head, have also expressed "real concern" for the police who were injured in the moments prior to the incident.

A huge row broke out last week after a short clip showed the armed police officer kick and stamp on the young man's head.

A new video, released over the weekend, shows multiple officers being punched several times - including two females. Three officers needed hospital treatment after the incident, including one woman for a broken nose.

Warning: the below video contains violent scenes

The officer, who has been suspended from his duties and placed under criminal investigation, has received support from the Greater Manchester Police Federation.

The Federation has argued that the new footage, in which the officer is attacked, casts the incident in a "very different light".

Meanwhile, Richard Cooke, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, said it offers a "different perspective altogether".

"We lost over 5,000 colleagues in the year to March voluntarily leaving. Assaulted repeatedly, poorly paid for the risks, slagged-off by clueless idiots," Mr Cooke said.

"After this week that trend will only accelerate. I don't blame any of them."

Read More: 'No one is in possession of all the facts: Andy Burnham urges people to reserve judgement over Manchester Airport video

Read More: New Manchester Airport video appears to show officers being attacked as family of kicked man issues 'plea for calm'

Some armed police officers have even refused to carry their weapons while the officer remains on suspension.

A firearms unit source told The Sun: "There is real anger at the way this has been handled and they didn't feel they could safely carry their weapons after the officer was suspended."

On Sunday, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, urged people to reserve judgement and for officials to be given space to investigate last week's incident.

"There is another side to this. The situation is very complicated, fast moving, quite a violent situation."We now have is a fuller picture and hopefully people can see why I said what I said last week," he told LBC.

"It's frustrating to be honest because we were seeing whether more could be put in the public domain but the strictures around potential criminal trials mean that you have to be very careful in doing that.

"The video is out there, and at least it moves moves the issue forward cause people can see a more rounded picture now."

LBC callers react as new footage from Manchester Airport head-kicking emerges

When asked whether the build-up to the event justified the use of force, Mr Burnham said: "Even though the context I had seen it still was right that the IOPC were involved, so that's where we are.

"There is a GMP witness appeal that's gone out now because there were three events; there was a an issue that began on a plane, that led to something in the arrivals hall, then an assault in the arrivals area. So there are three stages to this.

"It's why I keep saying no one is in possession of all of the facts you talk about people on both sides. Well, I just don't think people can, at this point come emphatically down and argue for one side against another.

"Life's more complicated than that."The truth always lies a bit more in between and that's the same with this as it is with everything in life."