Damage Control

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham emphasized that people do not want “politicians without possession of the facts exploiting the situation for their own political agenda with zero regard for the effect on the ground in communities in Greater Manchester.” In another development, Rochdale MP Paul Wagh warned that extremists “of all kinds” could “exploit the ongoing storm and hijack it for their own ends,” writes Kaliph Anaz

After days of protests and expert intervention, the Greater Manchester Police have decided to launch a criminal investigation into an incident in which a police officer was filmed kicking and stamping on a man at the airport. A decision will then be made on whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and whether the officer involved should face disciplinary proceedings. The officer was suspended on Thursday after the footage was widely shared on social media. It showed an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man who was lying face down on the floor.

The video sparked two nights of protests outside Rochdale Police Station and in Manchester city centre. Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu told BBC Radio 4 that he believes racism “played a significant part” in the incident.

GMP said it was called at 8:25 pm on Tuesday evening to an “altercation” between members of the public in Terminal Two, before the officers were subjected to a “violent assault” while trying to make an arrest. Four men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and assault of emergency service workers. Police reported that a female officer was left with a broken nose and other officers were taken to the hospital. The force also mentioned the risk of the armed officers’ firearms being taken.

GMP’s Chief Constable Stephen Watson expressed “profound regret” for the incident and added, “We are at one with the best instincts of those engaged in appealing for calm.”

 “It is a source of profound regret that this week’s incident at Manchester Airport has caused shock and upset in some of our communities,” the Manchester police said in a statement. “Throughout this week, senior officers have been meeting with community representatives to ensure their voices are heard and this will continue- we are at one with the best instincts of those engaged in appealing for calm.”

Catherine Bates, IOPC regional director, said she had met with one of the men involved in the incident and his family and will continue to update them and the police on the investigation.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, called for calm. He said he had visited Rochdale and met with around 40 community members who “spoke of the family’s appeal for calm.”

Mr. Burnham reiterated that the people of Greater Manchester want “a process that is able to proceed on the basis of being fair to everyone” and that they do not want “politicians without possession of the facts exploiting the situation for their own political agenda with zero regard for the effect on the ground in communities in Greater Manchester.”

Meanwhile, Rochdale MP Paul Wagh stated that extremists “of all kinds” could “exploit the ongoing storm and hijack it for their own ends.”

Akhmed Yakoob, a solicitor representing the family of the man kicked in the footage, said the victim’s family were “okay” but “traumatized.” Speaking to media outside Rochdale Police Station, Mr. Yakoob mentioned that the condition of one of the men had worsened, revealing that a CT scan found a “cyst on his brain.” He added, “The main concern for us, for me, is that the family receive justice and this no longer happens again.”

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the largest Islamic forum in the country, linked the incident with the ongoing rise in Islamophobia. “We are deeply shocked and alarmed by footage showing the aggressive use of force on passengers at Manchester Airport,” the MCB said in a statement. “Particularly troubling is the footage of a man who is kicked in the head and repeatedly hurt whilst he lay on the floor unarmed. This footage has caused significant distress across communities in the UK.”

A statement released by the Muslim Association of Britain said the events are “against a backdrop of rising incidents of police brutality, particularly targeting minority ethnic communities. Already, those on the far-right fringes of society are attempting to justify these actions and sow division. We must not allow their divisive rhetoric to take hold.”

Stand Up to Racism Greater Manchester said there was “no possible justification” for the attack. In 2021, a report commissioned by Mr. Burnham concluded that GMP was “institutionally racist,” a finding which was rejected by GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who still heads the force.

Ameen Hadi, from Manchester Stand Up to Racism, said: “This is the latest in a long catalogue of misogynistic, racist, and homophobic behavior. Chief Constable Watson must be held accountable by GM Mayor Andy Burnham and sacked.”

Habib Kadiri, director of Stop Watch, said the video “shows a blatant disregard for the principle of minimal force. Worst of all, the actions of officers towards a Muslim family at an airport reveal an Islamophobic strain of violence that confirms a growing fear among racialized minorities that the police do not keep them safe.”

Police Culture

Manchester Mayor Burnham stated he will continue to “challenge GMP to improve the culture” following a week of bad press for the force. Footage of the incident came to light less than a week after the Baird Review was published, which found GMP treated some women in custody “like meat.”

“Policing is challenging all over the country. Police forces everywhere are facing challenges. They are not unique to Greater Manchester; we have seen disturbances in other places very recently — these have been difficult times for everybody,” Mr. Burnham said. “Police forces have been out there dealing with some of these issues in society, and I want to say I recognize the difficult job that officers do in Greater Manchester. It’s a really difficult and demanding job — I am not making any comment on the individual situation; I am making a general comment here. It’s hard to be policing communities on the frontline at this moment in time.

“One thing I would say is that some of the things you have raised are [known about] because we are challenging GMP to go further to improve the culture in the organization. That brings some things out into the public domain. We will never say there is nothing to see here.”

GMP had also been put under special measures after it failed to record a fifth of all reported crimes and was only lifted out of them two years ago.

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