The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the release of a mobile phone footage that shows a police officer kicking Fahir Amaaz in the head at Manchester Airport. The clip went viral on social media, and the police watchdog is looking into whether the footage was provided by someone working for Greater Manchester Police and, if so, why. Furthermore, the IOPC is also investigating the actions of the officers involved in the airport disturbance.
More footage emerged later that showed the lead-up to the incident on 23 July. The clip shows two police officers being hit before Mr Amaaz, 19, was subdued with a Taser. Last month, both brothers appeared alongside their solicitor Aamer Anwar in Manchester city centre to “set the record straight” after what they called “a deliberate attempt to smear the family”. Mr Anwar questioned how the footage had entered the public domain and expressed the family’s dissatisfaction at its release.
One officer has been placed under criminal investigation for assault in connection with the brothers’ arrests, and he has been suspended by GMP. A second officer has also been advised that they are under criminal investigation for assault over an incident that followed the arrests of two other men. GMP has provided a “comprehensive” file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service as part of its inquiry into the incident which injured three of its officers.
Four men who were detained on suspicion of affray and assault, including the two brothers, remain on bail. The IOPC’s investigation is in its early stages, and it will explore whether the footage was supplied by someone employed by GMP and, if so, its justification. The recording and release of the video served to spark anger on social media, with many calling for justice for the victims. The probe comes amid global protests about police brutality, particularly towards Black people
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