Manchester Police Officer Under Criminal Investigation Over Violent Arrest

In the video footage, he can be seen first kicking a man on the ground in the face and then stomping on his head.

On Friday, Catherine Bates, the regional director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), confirmed that a police officer is under criminal investigation after being filmed kicking and stamping on a man’s head at Manchester Airport.

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The Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer was caught on camera by an onlooker kicking and stamping on a man who was lying face down on the ground at the airport during an arrest on Tuesday evening, leading to accusations of police brutality and two nights of protests later in the week.

In the video footage, the police officer, armed with a taser, can be seen first kicking a man on the ground in the face and then stomping on his head. Next to the victim is a woman wearing a hijab.

At another point, the police officer knocks another man who is sitting down to the ground and kicks him, while around him other male and female officers interact with the crowd, spraying them or pushing them.

“His family have asked me to reiterate their call for peace and wish to stress that they will not tolerate any acts of violence as a result of the incident,” said Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester.

“We can confirm we are conducting a criminal investigation into the use of force during events which took place on 23 July at Manchester Airport,” Bates said, adding that IOPC investigators have secured a significant amount of body-worn video and CCTV footage which will be subject to detailed analysis.

At the end of the investigation, they will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and decide whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings. The GMP has suspended a police officer involved in the incident from all duties on Thursday.