The new lawyer representing the Rochdale family at the centre of the Manchester Airport arrest frenzy says he has spoken to the police watchdog about ‘making a formal complaint’. Aamer Anwar announced on Monday (29 July) that he was taking over the case after Akhmed Yakoob ‘stepped aside’.
The move took place after the Manchester Evening News released new video footage over the weekend, showing violent scenes unfolding moments before an officer arrived to kick a man in the head. Mr. Anwar insists the released footage “does not show exactly what the police did.”
He also questioned why Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was shown the full CCTV footage of the incident before the family could see it. In a statement issued this afternoon (1 August) to the family involved, Mr Anwar said: “I have now spoken to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding the making of a formal complaint against officers from Greater Manchester Police.”
READ MORE: Why we decided to release Manchester Airport’s crucial new video
He added: “We are also trying to understand on what legal basis Andy Burnham was given access to the full CCTV and by whom. The repeated attempts by so-called ‘police sources’ to spin a false story or provide partial context are highly unhelpful to an IOPC investigation.
“Leaked footage does not show exactly what police did, how the incident unfolded, nor the full behaviour of officers in the aftermath of the incident in all parts of the airport, including after the arrests were made. In relation to the CCTV leak, we understand that this will also form part of their investigation, but while it is abundantly clear who would benefit from such a cynical and partial leak, it is likely to be impossible to prove who the individual or ‘institution’ is.”
Protests broke out in Rochdale and Manchester city centre after video circulated of a police officer allegedly kicking and stamping on a man as he lay face down during an arrest at Manchester Airport on July 23. A Greater Manchester Police officer has been told he is facing criminal investigation for assault over the incident, the IOPC reported last week.
Mr Burnham urged people to ‘take a step back’ and let the authorities carry out their investigation after the MEN released new footage believed to show the lead-up to the incident. The video appeared to show a group of people standing at ticket machines in Terminal Two and a man in a light blue outfit looking at one of the machines.
Male and female officers appeared to be attempting to restrain two men who were engaged in a series of punches and blows before one man was tasered. An officer and a man in blue appeared to struggle until the latter lay still on the ground, face down, with a woman kneeling beside him.
The officer then appears to kick and then stamp on his head, which was seen in the footage that has already been widely circulated. Mr Anwar says that if family members have committed crimes, ‘they should be subject to a fair trial’.
He maintained that there could “never be a legal justification” for the “use of excessive, disproportionate and potentially lethal force against a civilian who is incapacitated and poses no threat”. Mr Anwar added that the family expected all material relating to the incident and cameras of the aftermath to be preserved, “particularly those where the detainees were taken to other parts of the airport”.
An IOPC spokesperson told the MEN: “Following discussions with people involved in the incident at Manchester Airport, we are in the process of documenting a number of complaints. We will ask GMP to record and refer the allegations so that we can consider including them as part of our independent investigation. We will provide further updates as soon as we are able to do so.”
In a statement issued last week, IOPC regional director Catherine Bates confirmed that a GMP officer would be questioned under a criminal caution. She added that the IOPC had spoken to the family involved and would be meeting with community leaders in Rochdale ‘to listen to their concerns and explain our role’.
GMP announced that an officer had been suspended the morning after the original video footage was widely circulated last week. Police issued a renewed appeal for information about the incident over the weekend.
A spokesman said on Saturday: “GMP is investigating and appealing for witnesses in relation to three incidents which occurred on the evening of Tuesday 23 July 2024 in Terminal Two (T2) of Manchester Airport. Witnesses are asked to upload information, images or footage to the public portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP23S59-PO1
“The first incident is an altercation between passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR023, which arrived at 19:20. The altercation may have occurred during the flight or afterwards in the baggage claim area of T2. The second incident is a violent altercation with members of the public in T2 Starbucks at approximately 20:22.
“The third incident is the assault on three police officers which occurred in the T2 car park pay point area at 8.28pm. This resulted in the three officers sustaining head injuries including a broken nose. The IOPC is independently investigating the use of force by GMP officers which immediately followed these events and which can be seen in the footage on social media.”
After the MEN published the new footage at the weekend, Mr Burnham said: “As I said on Thursday, this is a complicated situation and it has two sides to it. That’s why I urged people not to be too quick to judge.
“Four people have been arrested following incidents leading up to the footage being seen and have now been released on police bail. It is frustrating that we have not been able to release more video into the public domain, but that is because this is a live investigation.
“People should now step back and allow the IOPC criminal investigation into the officer’s conduct to continue, alongside the parallel GMP investigation into other possible breaches, so that a full picture can be presented. Given that all of these investigations are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Mr Burnham’s office has been contacted for further comment. GMP declined to comment further this afternoon. The family and their lawyer are expected to attend a press conference in Manchester on 6 August, the Press Association reports.