Manchester Airport video men have made assault complaint to police, lawyer says
A lawyer representing the men said they had to make their own way to hospital to be checked for head injuries
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Two men whose violent arrests at Manchester Airport sparked protests have made a formal complaint of assault, their solicitor has said.
A police officer has been suspended from all duties following a “thorough review of further information” after a video emerged showing a man being kicked in the head and stamped on during a chaotic arrest by Taser-wielding police on Tuesday.
Police appeared to land a blow to the back of the neck of a second man as he was taken to the terminal floor with his hands behind his head.
A lawyer representing the men said they had to make their own way to hospital to be checked for head injuries after they were released from custody.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Akhmed Yakoob, a director at Maurice Andrews Solicitors in Birmingham, said “justice will be served”.
Sitting in between two men – who he named as Amaad and Fahir – he said: “They were released not long ago from Cheadle Police station. They then had to make their own way to the hospital.
“But in reality because they’ve had head injuries it was the police duty to take them to a hospital.”
He said in the video, posted at 12.35am on Thursday, he had “documented their injuries” and they were now heading to Rochdale Police station to “make a formal complaint of assault and wounding against the police officers”.
He added that their elderly mother was “just there as a bystander” during the incident at Manchester airport on Tuesday evening.
Footage of the incident sparked protests outside Rochdale Police station on Wednesday night as hundreds gathered chanting “shame on you”.
The force said its officers had been called to Terminal 2 of the airport at 8.25pm on Tuesday following reports of a fight.
It said while trying to arrest a suspect, three of its officers were violently attacked and punched to the ground. One officer suffered a broken nose and all three needed hospital treatment.
“As the attending officers were firearms officers, there was a clear risk during this assault of their firearms being taken from them,” a spokesman for the force said.
However on Thursday they confirmed the officer had been suspended from all duties as the police watchdog investigates the incident, after the footage sparked condemnation for the “excessive” use of force.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Following a thorough review of further information that has become available in relation to an incident at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, Greater Manchester Police has suspended a police officer from all duties.
“A referral has now been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for a full independent investigation.
“We understand the deep concerns that have been widely raised with us, and will continue to meet and discuss these feelings with Greater Manchester residents and elected representatives, whilst this independent investigation takes place.”