Angry masked protesters chant 'Allahu akbar' as cop who stamped on man's head is suspended

Hundreds gathered at a police station last night to protest after a video emerged of an officer kicking a man being arrested in the head.

Four men were arrested at Manchester Airport on Tuesday night (July 23) following reports of an assault in Terminal 2. Multiple officers were assaulted with one being left with a broken nose.

The video that went viral showed one of the men being kicked in the face and stamped on the head by a police officer, while others were wrestled to the ground, Tasered and had incapacitant spray used on them.

On Wednesday night (July 24), protesters took to Rochdale Police Station, where the three men were taken after their arrest. People were heard shouting: “GMP shame on you” and "Allahu Akbar [God is greatest]".

One of the demonstrators told the crowd: “We’re no longer going to settle for this police brutality. We put our trust in the police and what do they do instead they inflict violence upon us when we surrender to them. This is supposed to be the police, instead they are gangsters in uniforms. We’re not going to put up with this anymore.”

A local Imam was seen trying to calm tensions within the crowd, telling them: “Rioting, being upset, is what these brothers want you to do. All I am asking is for you not to take the law into your own hands, be respectable citizens like our parents have taught us.”

Paul Waugh, the town's newly elected Labour MP, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “The video footage of a Greater Manchester police officer kicking and stamping on a man in Manchester Airport is truly shocking and disturbing. I am extremely concerned. I have had it confirmed that the man arrested is a Rochdale resident and I hope to meet the family as soon as possible.

“I have expressed my concerns directly to the Assistant Chief Constable this evening and have been in touch with Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for policing of Greater Manchester. It's right that the police officer concerned has been removed from duties and that this incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. I expect a thorough and swift investigation.”

Greater Manchester Police has referred itself to the independent police watchdog over the incident and one officer has been suspended from all duties.

In a new statement last night, GMP's Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry said: “We know that a film of an incident at Manchester Airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking, and that people are rightly extremely concerned about.

“The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and one that we understand creates alarm. In advance of what is shown in the footage available, we were called to reports of an assault at Terminal 2, Manchester Airport at 8.25pm on Tuesday 23 July.

"The alleged suspect was seen on CCTV at a ticket machine in the car park and officers attended the location to arrest him. During our response, three officers were assaulted. One female officer suffered a broken nose and the other officers were forced to the ground and suffered injuries which required hospital treatment.

“One male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.

“Two men have been arrested on suspicion of assault, assault of emergency worker, affray, and obstructing police. Two other men have also been arrested on suspicion of affray and assault of an emergency worker."