AIRPORT CHAOS New Manchester Airport video shows police being punched moments before man was kicked by cop
NEW footage has emerged showing police officers being punched at Manchester Airport just moments before a cop was filmed kicking a man in the head.
The shocking clip appears to show a man punching an officer repeatedly as he slumps back into a chair, and another hitting a female cop in the face in a brutal attack.
At the beginning of the video a group of people can be seen milling around a ticket machine in Terminal 2, as three cops including two women and a man head towards them.
One of the officers goes to grab the hands of a man who is facing the ticket machine to restrain him, in video obtained by MEN.
It appears to be Mohammed Fahir, 19, the same man whose head is stamped on by a male police officer in the original clip.
As he resists the three police try to gain control of the situation, which is when a second man gets involved and lunges for the male cop.This man, in a grey t-shirt, can be seen hitting the male cop in the face a whopping six times before he tasers him and is able to back away.
Around the same time the man who appears to be Mohammed seems to hit a female officer in the face repeatedly until she falls to the ground.
Chaos erupts in the airport terminal as the three officers struggle to fend off the group from all sides.
The original video, which sparked major uproar and mass protests in Manchester, showed a male cop stamping on Mohammed's head as he lies on the floor.A woman in a headscarf kneels next to him as the cop stands above them, holding a taser.
In this new footage the same woman tries to desperately pull back by the man in grey by his t-shirt, as he punches the male cop.
There didn't originally appear to be any video of the moments before the head kick last week, sparking questions about what GMP said was an assault against their officers.
While the new footage may have shed more light on what happened at the airport, there remain unanswered questions about the incident.
At least 100 people swarmed outside Rochdale police station in protest on Thursday night after watching the video online.
Roads and tram lines in the city centre were blocked as a result of the unrest.
Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale borough council, told The Guardian: "Definitely at some points there was a concern that the tensions might boil over – there’s no hiding from that."
The force said on Wednesday evening that people are "rightly extremely concerned" over the clip and that a male officer involved had been removed from duty, but not suspended.
They explained: “In advance of what is shown in the footage available, we were called to reports of an assault at Terminal 2, Manchester Airport at 8.25pm on Tuesday 23 July.
“The alleged suspect was seen on CCTV at a ticket machine in the car park and officers attended the location to arrest him."
“During our response, three officers were assaulted," they told the public.
The statement read: "One female officer suffered a broken nose and the other officers were forced to the ground and suffered injuries which required hospital treatment."
This new footage appears to shed more light on the violent assault which saw a female cop suffer a broken nose.
The original clip, filmed last Tuesday, showed one of the distressed female officers yelling at the public to move away.
A male police officer was suspended from all duties following a “thorough review of further information”, GMP said after it went viral online.
The force also said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
GMP also confirmed on Wednesday that two men were arrested on suspicion of "assault, assault of emergency worker, affray, and obstructing police".
Force was used as the arresting officers were carrying guns and feared their weapons could be taken from them, an earlier statement said.
Manchester cops said this evening they are "investigating and appealing for witnesses in relation to three incidents that occurred on the evening of Tuesday 23rd July 2024 in Manchester Airport Terminal 2".
Fahir now has a cyst on his brain with symptoms "worsening overnight", his family lawyer said on Thursday.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham told BBC Radio 4 the situation is "not clear cut" after outbursts followed the video online.
He said: "Last night I'd seen the partial footage like everybody.
"And my reaction was similar to most people's in communitiesWhat I've had the chance to do since is look at the whole incident and what I would say is it's not a clear cut situation. It's a fast moving situation that escalates."
He added: "These are disturbing images and the right action has been taken by Greater Manchester Police. Which is to refer the matter to the IOPC and suspend the officer concerned."
Timeline of events leading up to disturbing video
BY Morgan Johnson
VIDEO of a cop appearing to kick a 19-year-old in the face before stamping on his head has led to unrest on the streets of Manchester.
The disturbing footage was captured at Manchester Airport on Tuesday - forcing GMP to suspend an officer and refer themselves to police watchdog IOPC.
According to a source close to the teen's family, this is what happened in the run-up to the shocking scenes which have since gone viral.
- Fahir and Amaad's mum was allegedly involved in an altercation with a man on her flight from Pakistan to Manchester
- Once the plane had landed, the same man then rammed the mum with a luggage trolley, it is claimed
- He is also said to have then hurled racist remarks at her while she waited for her suitcases at Terminal 2
- The elderly mother met up with her two sons, Fahir and Amaad, who she pointed out the man to, it is said
- The pair are then said to have confronted him - which turned into a physical altercation
- Greater Manchester Police were then called to the airport where they are understood to have met Fahir, Amaad and their mum by ticket machines
- Police say three officers were attacked, including a female PC who suffered a broken nose, when they were "punched to the ground"
- Fahir is then thought to have been put on the floor where he was kicked and stamped on
- Footage also reportedly shows the same cop use PAVA spray (similar to pepper spray)
- Fahir and his brother are then hauled away
The family source also alleged that the mum was struck in the face by an officer - but this has not been independently verified.
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