Home Correspondent
The Deputy Leader of Reform UK stated that he felt reassured, rather than distressed, by the police after viewing the troubling viral footage that led to an officer’s suspension for violently stamping on an Asian man’s head. A former police chief has condemned the footage as racist.
On July 23, police were summoned to Terminal Two at Manchester Airport to manage a public altercation, reporting that they faced a “violent assault” while attempting an arrest.
The distressing footage reveals a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer repeatedly kicking a young Asian man in the face and stamping on his head while he lies helplessly on the ground. In another troubling clip, an officer aggressively pushes a middle-aged Asian woman in traditional Pakistani clothing as she desperately tries to protect the man’s head and de-escalate the situation.
Police reported that three officers were injured during the incident, including a female constable who suffered a broken nose. Four men were arrested on charges of affray and assaulting emergency service workers.
Murtaza Ali Shah, a UK correspondent for Pakistan’s GEO TV Network, released a new clip from the arrests, showing officers surrounding three Asian men. In the footage, an officer with a taser directs another to “grab that one,” leading the second officer to use pepper spray on one man and take him down. Another man is restrained near a lift in the background.
Reform UK’s Richard Tice described the footage as “reassuring” rather than “distressing.” The MP for Boston and Skegness stated, “I’ve just seen the footage, and honestly, from what I’ve seen and heard, I don’t find it distressing at all. In fact, it’s quite reassuring!”
He added, “The simple answer is that if the police had to use tasers, which at least two officers, if not three, clearly had, then there is a serious issue going on. Police officers don’t use Tasers unless they are genuinely concerned for public safety and themselves. Bearing in mind these are weapons-carrying officers who are there to prevent acts of terrorism, making split-second judgments, they have rightly concluded that safety is the better option.They don’t know if these people have grenades under their bodies!”
Tice further commented that if the police had taken “some appropriate action last week in Leeds rather than running away, then maybe the riots wouldn’t have been quite so bad.” He reiterated his point on X, saying, “Top tip: Don’t mess with armed police in an airport. Not rocket science. They are paid to make split-second judgments to save lives.”
In response, Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, challenged Tice’s remarks on X, quoting his tweet and replying, “Last week, they were blaming Muslims for the disturbances in Leeds, even though Muslims risked their lives to help the police. Now, they’re justifying kicks and boots to the head because the man on the floor was an Asian Muslim. The populist right for you.”
Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu stated that racism played a “significant part” in the man being kicked in the face and stamped on by police. Babu, who served in the Met for over 30 years, found the arrest video shocking and “totally appalling.”
On July 25, GMP announced that the involved police officer had been suspended after a “thorough review of further information.” The previous day, GMP had referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Babu criticized the police for using “totally excessive” force on a man who was “effectively defenceless” and suggested that “racism played a significant part” in the incident. He noted, “This is a very serious situation, and given the current low level of trust in the police, this only adds to public concern.” Babu expressed doubts about Greater Manchester Police’s ability to manage community relations and ease tensions.
Babu also criticized the police’s decision to have Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry, an Asian officer, address the protest of over 200 people outside the Rochdale police station two days after the arrests. He remarked, “It’s not Chief Constable Steve Watson speaking but Asian officers instead. There are so few senior Asian officers in Greater Manchester Police. It seems like a cynical move to have an Asian officer handle this, especially considering that this incident happened more than 48 hours ago. I believe Greater Manchester Police has been slow to grasp the seriousness of the situation.”
Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Rusholme, shared Babu’s concerns, stating, “It seems that officers may have used excessive force against an unarmed civilian.” Khan also mentioned he had contacted the police and the local MP, urging GMP to offer sincere reassurances to the community and to refer themselves to the IOPC as soon as possible.
Rochdale MP Paul Waugh described the footage as “truly shocking and disturbing” and expressed concern after confirming that the arrested man is a Rochdale resident. He said he hoped to meet the family soon and supported the suspension of the officer and referral of the incident to the IOPC, expecting a thorough and swift investigation.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he would speak to the IOPC to ensure a high level of independence for the investigation and to include community stakeholders. He added, “The footage remains disturbing to me, and the right steps have been taken with the suspension. The right process must now be followed to ensure confidence in what follows. We handled these matters properly and carefully, and that is what will happen now. I will work with everyone today to get that message out for calm.”
The Muslim Council of Britain welcomed the suspension of the police officer involved and called for a swift and thorough investigation by the IOPC. They stressed that “it is crucial that the IOPC investigates this swiftly” and that “the findings should be shared with the public, as many have been deeply disturbed and distressed by this incident.”
The MCB has written to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Chief Constable of GMP, urging a “swift and robust response.”
They also expressed support for local community groups working with GMP to manage the situation.
Baroness Shaista Gohir, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, compared the recent incident of police brutality to the murder of George Floyd, calling it a “stark reminder that minority communities are more likely to face police brutality.”
Gohir warned that “when police brutality is applauded by influential public figures, it is likely to fuel further racism and Islamophobia.” She emphasized the need for government departments like the Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to act quickly.
Photo: Richard Tice of Reform UK referred to the footage that resulted in an officer’s suspension for forcefully stomping on an Asian man’s head as “reassuring” rather than “distressing.” (Credit: Parliament.uk/CC)
