MANCHESTER-Anger over a police officer caught on camera kicking a man in the head at the airport in the city has led to a gathering of demonstrators outside a Greater Manchester police station.
Why did the video trigger protests?
There seems to be film from the Rochdale demonstration online, when demonstrators chanted “shame on you” and accused the police of institutional racism. The Greater Manchester Police declared that the protest had concluded “safely without incident” and that it acknowledged the “immense feeling of concern” that people felt for their community. In the wake of the kicking video, the force has withdrawn itself from operational tasks and referred itself for inquiry. A male police officer is seen in the video, which was taken at Manchester Airport on Tuesday night, putting a Taser over a man who is laying on the ground with his face down. The victim looks to be kicked and stamped on by the cop while other officers yell at bystanders to keep back. The police department has called the footage “truly shocking” and it has been extensively circulated on social media. A group of individuals who looked to be in their hundreds gathered outside a Rochdale police station on Wednesday night for the demonstration. One of the demonstrators reportedly informed the crowd that they were “no longer going to settle” for “police brutality,” according to the Manchester Evening News.
How have authorities responded to the protests?
According to GMP, allegations of a brawl prompted the dispatch of its officers to Terminal 2 of the airport on Tuesday at 20:25 BST. It said that three of its officers had been brutally beaten and punched to the ground while attempting to apprehend a suspect. Three of the officers required hospital care, and one had a fractured nose. “As the attending officers were firearms officers, there was a clear risk during this assault of their firearms being taken from them,” the force’s spokesperson stated. At the incident, four guys were taken into custody for affray and assault on emergency personnel. Prior to this, GMP declared that it had willingly reported itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, an oversight body that looks into complaints and regulates police behavior. According to the IOPC, it will review the referral from GMP “and decide what further action is required”. Leeds resident Amar Minhas told the BBC he witnessed the incident while passing through arrivals. He said that before “they pinned him up against a wall,” police had contacted one of the males, who was in his early 20s, and informed him that he was sought. Then, he claimed, another man started on the police, and a brawl broke out. According to Mr. Minhas, the man who was held against the wall began throwing punches, he was Tasered, and fell to the floor. That’s when the officer gave him a kick.
Has the incident had airport security protocols?
According to bbc, Mayor Andy Burnham of Greater Manchester called the video “disturbing” and acknowledged “the widespread and deep concern” it had sparked. He claimed to have discussed his worries with the deputy chief constable of the GMP. The video was deemed difficult to watch by National Black Police Association President Andy George. “While policing is a really difficult job, we are trained to a higher standard and held to a higher standard,” he said in a post on X, the former Twitter. “I am aware of disturbing footage from an incident at Manchester Airport this afternoon and understand the public concern it has prompted,” said Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson in a post on X. As per thenews,Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry released a statement following the video’s viral success, stating: “We are aware that a video of an incident at Manchester Airport is making the rounds and that people are understandably quite alarmed by it.We are aware that using such force during an arrest is uncommon and causes concern.” In reaction to the demonstration in Rochdale, ACC Chaudhry stated, “We understand the immense feeling of concern and worry that people feel about our response and fully respect their right to demonstrate their views peacefully.” He also mentioned the reference that had already been made to the IOPC.
How has the Public reacted to the kicking video?
Following their Thursday discussion with Mr. Burnham and the force, the home secretary, expressed her support for the probe and stated, “I share the deep concern surrounding the video and understand the widespread distress it will have caused.”
