The incident came to light through a viral 18-second video showing a police officer pointing a Taser at a man lying on the ground and then kicking and stamping on his head.The victim has been identified as a Pakistani national. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) described the footage as “truly shocking,” and the officer involved has been suspended.
Additional videos revealed officers beating at least three individuals inside the airport. GMP reported that the incident began after three officers were injured during a “violent assault” at Terminal 2, with one female officer suffering a broken nose. Four men were arrested on suspicion of assault and affray.
Protests erupted outside the GMP headquarters in Rochdale, where demonstrators chanted “GMP shame on you” and accused the police of institutional racism. The protest concluded safely, and GMP acknowledged the public’s right to demonstrate peacefully.
Political reactions have been significant. Mayor Andy Burnham and National Black Police Association President Andy George described the footage as disturbing and difficult to watch. Home Office Minister Dame Diana Johnson has requested a full update from GMP. Meanwhile, Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, stated that the police response was “reassuring” given the severity of the situation.
Social media reactions have been overwhelmingly negative, with users expressing anger and demanding accountability. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and a crucial conversation about police conduct and the appropriate use of force, with GMP under significant scrutiny from both the public and political figures.
A user wrote: “First time I saw this video I thought it was an Israeli soldier attacking a Palestinian… then I read “Manchester Airport”? Are they globalizing the Israeli brand of violence… coming to city near you?”
British boxer Amir Khan shared the video calling it “disgusting behaviour”.
Another user wrote: “The most disgusting thing about this violent police attack on two unresisting brothers at Manchester Airport is that his fellow officers did nothing to restrain him or protect the boys from further violence. Who do they think they serve?”
A third wrote: “Christ, I’d heard our police here in Manchester were bad, but I didn’t know they were just rage golems, just violence apes leaping around screeching and breaking teeth.”
Racism played a “significant part” in a man being kicked in the face and stamped on by police during an arrest at Manchester Airport, according to former Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu. Describing the video of the arrest as shocking and “totally appalling,” Babu highlighted the excessive force used against a man who was “effectively defenceless.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Babu emphasized the severity of the incident and its impact on public trust in the police. “This is a very, very serious incident, and at a time when trust in the police is so low, this is another example of an incident where people will be further concerned,” he said. Babu noted that while mistrust in the police traditionally affected minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and young people, it has now become more widespread.