Manchester airport attack: ‘TikTok lawyer’ speaks out as new video of police brawl emerges

The lawyer for the family at the center of the incident at Manchester Airport has broken his silence after new footage emerged showing the violent scenes which led to a Greater Manchester Police officer punching a man in the head.

New footage emerged last night, believed to show the events leading up to the controversial incident which has sparked outrage and protests since it first appeared on social media. The previously shared video appeared to show an officer kicking and punching a man in the head as he lay on the ground.

This latest video captures the chaotic moments before, involving two men and several police officers in a car park at Terminal 2 on Tuesday (July 23). In the clip, an officer appears to grab a man’s hands in an attempt to restrain him, before punches are exchanged between the officer and the men.

One of the men – dressed in light blue – who had been initially detained, appears to break free and throw several punches at the officers. The footage then shows both women taking blows to the head and face, with one being punched to the ground.

An officer is later seen pointing a Taser at the man, before appearing to kick and punch him in the head as he lies on the ground. A GMP officer has been told he is being investigated for assault in connection with the incident, according to a statement from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published on Friday, the Manchester Evening News reports.

After new images emerged, Birmingham lawyer Akhmed Yakoob, who represents the family at the center of a recent incident, said publicly that he does not condone violence. The 36-year-old lawyer, who has a significant TikTok following of nearly 210,000, posted a video on the platform yesterday evening (Saturday) after the footage aired.

In his message, he stated: “I do not promote violence.” He went on to explain his role in calming tensions: “I was behind the de-escalation of the whole situation, I told the protesters at Rochdale police station to go home.”

He recounted his efforts during a protest in Manchester city centre, saying: “I attended a protest in Manchester city center where protesters were threatening to stop the trams from running. I urged them not to do so and calmed them down and they went home. “

Yakoob also stated his stance on another planned demonstration: “I have urged everyone not to attend the protest at Manchester Airport. We are not here to make public life difficult.”

He concluded with a firm statement on the family’s quest for justice: “No, we want justice for the family and it will happen.”

In response to another user on the platform, who praised the family’s defense despite the complexity of the case, Mr. Yakoob acknowledged the backlash he often faces: “It’s normal that I’ve been receiving hate messages for years. The truth is, people are fast. to judge the actions of others while sitting at home.”

He defended his involvement in the case: “This case has been rightfully highlighted. I do what I do from the heart and not for money.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham urged the public “not to be too quick to judge” after new footage emerged. Having previously said he had watched the “full footage” leading up to the incident, Burnham described it as not a “clear-cut situation”, explaining that a “serious incident” took place before things escalated “very quickly”.

In a statement released last night, the Labor mayor reiterated his plea for people to “not rush to judgement”. He asked the individuals to “back off” and let the IOPC investigation continue. He stated: “As I said on Thursday, this is a complicated situation with two sides. That’s why I urged people not to rush to judge”.

“Following the incidents leading up to the footage that people have seen, four people have been arrested and are now on police bail. It’s frustrating that we haven’t been able to put more video into the public domain, but that’s because this is a live investigation.”

“People must now step back and allow the IOPC’s criminal investigation into the officer’s conduct to progress, alongside the parallel GMP investigation into other potential offences, so that the full picture can be presented.”

“Given that all these investigations are ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment further.” On Friday night, the IOPC announced that a police officer was being investigated for assault, although they stressed that this did not necessarily mean criminal charges would follow.

The watchdog confirmed that once their investigation is complete, they will decide whether to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service. Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police have launched an urgent appeal for information relating to three incidents believed to be linked to the shocking events seen in a recent video.

They are investigating an “altercation between passengers” on QAtar Airways flight QR023, which landed from Doha to Manchester at 7.20pm. “The altercation may have taken place during the flight or afterwards in the T2 baggage hall,” they said.

Additionally, they are looking into a “violent disturbance involving members of the public in Starbucks T2” that occurred around 8:22 p.m. This was quickly followed by “the attack on three police officers which took place in the T2 car park pay point area at 8.28pm”, according to the force.

“This resulted in the three officers suffering head injuries, including a broken nose,” they added. The force has set up a public portal for witnesses to submit information, images and videos.