A Greater Manchester Police officer has been filmed kicking and stamping on the head of a Pakistani man lying on the ground at Manchester Airport.
The male officer was holding a Taser over the man, who is lying face down, before striking him twice while other officers shout at onlookers to stay back in a video shared widely online.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in a statement claimed firearms officers had been attacked while attempting to arrest someone following a fight in the airport's Terminal 2 on Tuesday. It said it had referred itself to the police watchdog.
MP Naz Shah
MP Naz Shah said: "Huge and rightful concern surrounding the viral footage about the incident in Manchester Airport. I am deeply disturbed & horrified having watched it. Important a full thorough and immediate investigation takes place."
"The IPOC should rightfully look into this incident," she demanded.
Pakistani community protest
Anger has grown over the video and a crowd of what appeared to be several hundred Pakistani community members people protested outside the police station in Rochdale, Greater Manchester on Wednesday evening.
The protesters raised slogans against the alleged Grater Manchester Police brutality towards the Pakistani nationals and manhandling the accused.
The protesters demanded justice from the British authorities.
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Police officer removed
GMP earlier said one officer had been removed from operational duties over the events, and it had referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over the events and one officer had been removed from operational duties.
In an earlier statement, Assistant Chief Constable Chaudhry said: "We know that a film of an incident at Manchester Airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking, and that people are rightly extremely concerned about.
"The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and one that we understand creates alarm.
"One male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct."
Manchester Mayor’s stance
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, described the video as "disturbing" and said he recognised "the widespread and deep concern" it had caused. He said he had raised his concerns with GMP's deputy chief constable.
Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson also posted on X: “I am aware of disturbing footage from an incident at Manchester Airport this afternoon and understand the public concern it has prompted.
“I have asked for a full update from Greater Manchester Police.”
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