Manchester Airport police incident 'TikTok lawyer' steps down blaming 'sabotage'
Akhmed Yakoob has walked away from the case - it comes after new footage showed police being punched by two men in Manchester Airport before one is kicked in the head
The solicitor branded a 'TikTok lawyer' representing the family of two of the men at the centre of the Manchester Airport police incident, which saw a man on the floor kicked by a police officer, has decided to take a step back from the case.
Rising to prominence through a series of media appearances where he represented the family of two men allegedly injured in the incident, Akhmed Yakoob blamed "sabotage" from the press for withdrawing as their solicitor, in a video posted on social media. He has recommended someone else to represent the family.
"The media have tried to sabotage me, it's not the first time they've done this," he said in the social media clip. "They've made this whole situation about me and not police misconduct."
The Birmingham solicitor originally stepped in after a video went viral online of an incident at Terminal Two in Manchester Airport on Tuesday, July 23. The viral video appears to show a Greater Manchester Police officer kicking a man in the head and then stamping on him.
Mr Yakoob went on to say: "So, after consulting with the family, I have decided for now to step aside and I have recommended the family to a lawyer. But, I will be keeping a close eye on this.
"I'd like to say that I am not for violence, whether it's from police officers or whether it's from civilians. Always remember that."
On Saturday, the Manchester Evening News obtained exclusive footage that is believed to capture the lead-up to the incident that has sparked controversy and protests across the city.
The footage appears to show the airport brawl that injured multiple police officers, breaking the nose of one and sending Terminal Two into chaos.
In the clip, one officer appeared to grab one man's hands in an attempt to restrain him before punches started to fly. One of the men - dressed in light blue - who had initially been detained then appeared to break free and throw a number of punches towards the female officers.
The clip then showed both women receiving blows to the head and face with one punched to the ground.
Then, an officer appeared to point a taser towards the man before appearing to kick and stamp on his head as he lay on the ground. A GMP constable has been advised he is under criminal investigation for assault over the incident, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Friday.
And Andy Burnham last night urged people "not to rush to judgement" after the new footage emerged. The Greater Manchester Mayor previously said he had seen the full footage leading up to the incident.
He said it was not a "clearcut situation", explaining that a serious incident had taken place before the situation escalated "very quickly".
