A British police officer is being criminally investigated following an incident at Manchester Airport where a suspect was kicked and stamped on during an arrest. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that a police constable will be interviewed under criminal caution. Greater Manchester Police suspended the officer involved in the incident, which sparked public outrage and protests.
Video footage of the incident circulating online showed the suspect being kicked while on the ground. The IOPC is looking into the “level of force” used during the arrest. Details surrounding the events leading up to and following the video remain unclear.
According to the police, three officers were assaulted while apprehending the suspect, resulting in one female officer sustaining a broken nose and requiring hospital treatment. Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, stated that after viewing the full footage leading up to the circulated clip, the situation was not clear-cut and there were issues on both sides.
Following the incident, two men were arrested for assault and assaulting an emergency worker, while two other men were arrested for fighting and assaulting an emergency worker. The police department acknowledged that the use of force in the arrest was unusual and recognized the public alarm it caused. The investigation is ongoing, and the officer in question will be interviewed soon.
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