Second police officer under investigation over airport kick

Video of the incident was widely shared online

A second Greater Manchester Police officer is under a criminal investigation for assault over an incident which saw a man kicked while lying on the floor at Manchester Airport, the police watchdog has said.

Footage shared online last month showed Muhammad Fahir Amaaz being struck by a firearms officer after he and his brother were arrested following a violent clash with police on 23 July.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced on 26 July a police constable was under criminal investigation in relation to the events.

A further referral from the Greater Manchester force, received on Monday, included a complaint "detailing several allegations, from one of the people involved", the IOPC said, which had led to a second officer being investigated.

Muhammad Amaad (L) and Fahir Amaaz (R) flanked mother Shameem Akhtar and solicitor Aamer Anwar

The IOPC said the second officer was also being investigated for potential gross misconduct for alleged breaches of police professional standards including their use of force.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it was "fully committed to supporting" the police watchdog's independent investigation.

Footage of the kick incident led to protests in Rochdale and Manchester city centre and a police constable was later suspended.

GMP previously said its firearms officers were subject to a "violent" attack while trying to make an arrest at Terminal 2 and there was a risk their weapons could be taken from them.

A further video later emerged showing the build up to the kicking incident involved a fight in which officers were punched to the ground.

Four men, including the two brothers, were arrested for assault and affray and remain on police bail.

On Monday, lawyers for Fahir Amaaz's family, who are from Rochdale, made further allegations of mistreatment.

Solicitor Aamer Anwar alleged officers approached Mr Amaaz without identifying themselves and claimed they hit his head into the ticket machine by grabbing his neck.

The solicitor said he was thrown to the ground and knelt on by an officer, who they allege threatened to "kill him", after he was detained.

He said this happened in an area of the airport terminal without cameras.

'Complex case'

The family claim it was the racial abuse of the men's mother, as she flew to Manchester from Doha, which led to an altercation between the two brothers and another man, which was the reason police were called in.

Mr Anwar said that man had not been questioned by GMP.

In a new statement released earlier, GMP said it understood there was "continued public interest and concern" over a series of incidents at the airport.

It said it was "making good progress" in investigating alleged criminal offences "against both the public, and police officers".

“This is a complex case so we ask for public support in bearing with us while we make sure that enquiries are completed thoroughly," the force added.