Protest held after Manchester airport kicking video

A man lying on the ground was allegedly kicked and stomped on by a police officer, captured on video.

Many people gathered outside a police station in Greater Manchester to show their dissatisfaction with a video showing a police officer kicking a man in the head at the local airport.

Shouting "shame on you", the demonstrators in Rochdale alleged that the police are guilty of systemic racism, as seen in a video of the protest circulating online.

The Greater Manchester Police acknowledged that people were very worried and respected their right to protest. They stated that the demonstration ended without any problems or incidents.

The police department has requested an investigation into the incident and taken one officer off active duty after the video of the kicking incident surfaced.

The recording, taken at Manchester Airport on Tuesday night, captures a male cop aiming a Taser at a man who is laying down on the ground.

The policeman then seems to step on and kick the man in the head, while other policemen yell at bystanders to keep their distance.

The video spread quickly on social media and the police force has called it "extremely surprising."

During the demonstration on Wednesday night, a large group of around a few hundred individuals congregated outside a law enforcement building in Rochdale.

The Manchester Evening News stated that a protester had informed the crowd that they were no longer willing to accept police violence.

GMP reported that their officers were alerted to an altercation at Terminal 2 of the airport at 8:25 PM BST on Tuesday.

The blog mentioned that during the attempt to detain a suspect, three of the officers were viciously assaulted and knocked down. One of the officers ended up with a broken nose and all three had to seek treatment at the hospital.

"The officers who were present at the scene were armed, so there was a significant danger during the attack of their firearms being stolen," a representative for the police department stated.

Four individuals were taken into custody for engaging in a public brawl and attacking emergency personnel.

GMP previously stated that it had chosen to report itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, a regulatory body responsible for monitoring police behavior and handling complaints.

The IOPC stated that they will review GMP's report "and determine any necessary next steps."

Amar Minhas from Leeds shared with the BBC that he was walking through the arrivals area when he witnessed the event taking place.

He mentioned that the police officers had spoken to a young man in his early 20s, informing him that he was wanted before they forcefully pushed him up against a wall.

Another individual then initiated a confrontation with the police, resulting in a physical altercation.

The man who was trapped against the wall began to fight back by throwing punches. He was then hit with a Taser and collapsed to the ground, according to Mr. Minhas.

"That is the moment the officer kicked him."

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said the video was "upsetting" and acknowledged the widespread and profound worry it had sparked.

He stated that he had addressed his worries with the deputy head of GMP.

Andy George, who leads the National Black Police Association, said the video was hard to watch.

In a recent message on X, formerly known as Twitter, he stated: "Even though being a police officer is incredibly challenging, we are trained at a superior level and expected to meet higher expectations."

The Home Office minister, Dame Diana Johnson, also shared on X: "I have seen troubling video footage from an incident at Manchester Airport today and acknowledge the public worry it has caused."

I requested a thorough update from the police in Greater Manchester.

In a recent message following the popular spread of the video, Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry expressed that the footage capturing an incident at Manchester Airport is alarming and has caused significant distress among the public.

The employment of force during an arrest is not a common occurrence and we recognize that it can cause concern.

Speaking about the demonstration in Rochdale, ACC Chaudhry acknowledged the complaint that had been sent to the IOPC. He stated, "We recognize the strong emotions and anxieties people have about how we handled the situation and support their right to peacefully express their opinions."

He said: "We have been listening to what the community has to say tonight and we will keep talking to the community and elected officials to strengthen our partnerships and understand what people in the area think."