New Manchester Airport video shows what happened before police officer ‘hit’ man in the head

Newly released footage from inside Manchester Airport reveals the chaotic moments that led to a Greater Manchester Police officer being filmed apparently kicking a man in the head in a video that has since gone viral. Exclusive footage, obtained by our sister paper the Manchester Evening News, shows the events leading up to the incident, which has sparked controversy and protests since it was shared on social media.

Footage previously shared appeared to show the officer kicking and punching a man in the head as he lay on the ground. This new footage captures the tumultuous and violent interactions between those involved in the incident and police officers leading up to this moment.

At the beginning of the clip, a group of people can be seen gathered around a ticket machine inside a car park at Terminal 2. Three police officers – a man and two women – then appear to walk through the crowd towards a man – dressed in light blue – which is facing the car. An officer appears to grab the man’s hands in an attempt to detain him.

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The male officer then appears to force the man down as his two female colleagues stand by him. Several people from the group then approached the scene, reports the Manchester Evening News.

A man appears to grab the officer in an attempt to free the man who had been restrained. Then, punches appear to be exchanged between the officer and the man.

In the video, the man repeatedly punches the male officer, who is on the ground. Simultaneously, another man, dressed in light blue, breaks free from a female officer and starts throwing punches at her.

Both officers are seen being hit in the head and face, one of them being knocked to the ground. The male officer is then seen pointing his taser at the man who punched him. Another man attacks this officer from behind, delivering several blows as the officer continues to hold his taser aloft.

The man wrestles the officer to the ground before turning onto his stomach and lying face down. A woman is seen kneeling beside him. The officer then stands up and points the taser at the man. As seen in the widely shared footage, he appears to kick and then punch the man in the head as he lies on the ground.

This incident sparked many protests in our region. However, several public figures and those involved in the incident called for “calm”. On Friday evening, the Independent Office for Police Conduct announced that a police officer was being investigated for assault.

The IOPC stressed that this does not necessarily mean criminal charges will follow. However, the watchdog has confirmed that a decision will be made on whether to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service following the conclusion of its investigation.