LONDON: The British Pakistani man who was kicked in the head and stamped on by a police officer at Manchester Airport, has a cyst on his brain, according to the family’s lawyer.

Lawyer Akhmed Yakoob made this statement outside Rochdale Police Station, following the widespread circulation of footage of the incident from Manchester Airport on social media.

Mr Yakoob identified the man as Fahir, who was found to have a cyst on his brain after a CT scan was conducted post-incident. Mr Yakoob, who is also representing Fahir’s brother Amaad and their elderly mother, stated that Fahir’s condition deteriorated overnight.

The family alleges they were assaulted by at least one officer from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at the airport on Tuesday night. Mr Yakoob shared that the family is “traumatised” and mentioned that Fahir’s older brother, who works as a police officer for GMP, is now “afraid to go to work.”

“He went in today and spoke to his supervisor, and the only reason he is not going to work is because he fears for his own safety,” Yakoob added.

The statement follows GMP’s confirmation that an officer has been suspended in relation to footage showing a suspect being kicked in the head and stamped on while on the ground. The incident at Manchester Airport, filmed on Tuesday evening, sparked public outrage after being widely shared online.

GMP acknowledged the public’s concern and stated they were responding to reports of an assault at the airport when the footage was recorded. Mr Yakoob noted that he was unaware of the events leading up to the incident but insisted that “nothing justifies the barbaric treatment from the police officers.”

Dal Babu, a former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent, told Sky News that the force used by the officer was “not reasonable.” He suggested that the appropriate action would have been to handcuff Fahir, rather than kicking him in the face, describing the force as “totally disproportionate.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said that he and his deputy have met with both the home secretary and the regional director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). They agreed that the ongoing IOPC investigation will be carried out swiftly, involve community stakeholders, and remain fully independent. Mr Burnham expressed hope that this would reassure the public that all steps are being taken and all relevant issues will be fully considered.

Following the incident, around 200 demonstrators gathered outside Rochdale Police Station on Wednesday night, some shouting “GMP shame on you!” Police reported that the protest ended “without incident.”

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2024