New details have emerged about the shocking incident at Manchester Airport where a restrained man was brutally kicked and stamped on by an armed police officer.
The disturbing footage, which has sparked widespread outrage and protests, shows an officer from Greater Manchester Police violently kicking Mohammed Fahir, 19, in the face before ruthlessly stamping on his head, despite him appearing to be compliant while being held down on the ground.
In the video, a woman who is believed to be his mother is seen visibly upset as she tries to shield him from the officer, placing her hand over his head in a desperate attempt to protect him.
The events prompted angry protests for a second night on Thursday, with roads and tram lines blocked in Manchester city centre.
Hundreds of demonstrators chanting slogans such as "no justice, no peace, no racist police” gathered outside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s office as part of a Stand Up To Racism demonstration
Police said three officers had been assaulted at the airport, including a female PC who suffered a broken nose, and four men were arrested.
The officer involved has been suspended from duty while the incident is being investigated by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Yesterday Andy Burnham, the Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner of Greater Manchester, shed more light on the incident.
Speaking to Sarah Montague on BBC Radio 4's The World at One this afternoon, he revealed he had viewed unreleased footage of the events leading up to the shocking incident. He stated the full context showed it was "not a clear-cut" situation and urged the public to be "fair to Greater Manchester Police".
Mr Burnham said: "Last night I'd seen the partial footage, like everybody and my reaction I guess was similar to most people's, in that the images looked very disturbing indeed and of course there was clear anger in communities.
"What I've had the chance to do since is look at the whole incident, all of the footage, and the events leading up to it. So what I would say is; it's not a clear-cut situation, it's a fast-moving situation that escalates. And of course it's in the challenging location of the airport.
"So, having considered all of that, I wouldn't go away from what I first said: that these are disturbing images, and the right action has now been taken by Greater Manchester Police which is to refer the matter to the IOPC and to suspend the officer concerned."
When pressed for more information about what he had seen that had not been released to the general public, he explained: "The further information is what happens, how we got to the point where people saw the clip in the video. As I say it's a fast-moving situation that escalates and there are issues for both sides here.
Mr Burnham said the catalyst was "an issue on a flight coming into Manchester Airport".
He continued: "When the flight landed, two individuals were waiting for their mum who said there had been an issue on the flight and she pointed somebody out and there was an altercation in the arrivals hall.
"And then that individual who was involved in that, or a couple, were followed by camera through the airport and then we get to the scene that people have seen which is in the car park area of Manchester airport. So there had already been a serious incident before that.
"What people don't see in the clip is that there is a situation which escalates, and escalates very quickly, there are issues on both sides."
"But having seen everything, the image that everyone has seen is disturbing and the right action has been taken which is a referral to the IOPC."
Burnham disagreed with a claim by Met chief superintendent Dal Babu that racism played "a significant part" in the incident, saying: "I don't think it's particularly responsible for a senior police officer or ex-police officer to say that, without having looked at everything.
"Because, as I say, what happens here is a very rapid escalation and things happening in the moment. It's been put to me that it might have more to do with very heightened emotions in, what I have to say becomes quite a violent situation - there's no getting away from that.
"It would be one thing if we could put all this footage out there but of course because there is now an investigation we can't. But I can assure you that people in Greater Manchester in leadership positions have been given the opportunity to see this footage and I think people will understand what I'm saying - to leap to those allegations I don't think is fair to Greater Manchester Police."
