London, July 25: A video showing a British police officer brandishing a weapon at a man's head at Manchester Airport in northern England sparked protests outside a police station on Wednesday night.
After the video, shot by a bystander, was posted on social media platforms and sparked immediate criticism, police said they referred the case to an independent complaints review body.
It showed a chaotic scene in an airport car park as several officers tackled two suspects armed with Tasers. One man was kicked while lying face down on the ground. A second person also appears to have been struck in the head by the officer.
A statement from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the video “shows an incident which is truly shocking, and people are very concerned. The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and we understand it creates alarm.”
It said police were responding to a report of an assault, and three officers were themselves assaulted during their response. Officers required hospital treatment, including a female officer who suffered a broken nose.
“One male officer has been removed from operational duties and we are making a voluntary referral of our police response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct,” the statement said.
Two people were arrested on charges of assault, assault on an emergency worker, assault and obstructing the police.
The incident sparked protests outside a police station in a nearby town. A video posted online showed a crowd of at least 100 people chanting “shame on you GMP”.
The identity of those arrested at the airport could not be revealed, but the police said that the protest was completed safely and without incident.
“We have spent the evening listening to community feedback and will continue to engage with the community and elected members to maintain strong partnership links and understand local views,” they said in a later statement.
