Written By Lisa Murimi
A crowd gathered outside a police station in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, to protest a viral video showing a policeman kicking a man in the head at Manchester Airport.
Chanting “shame on you,” protesters accused the police of institutional racism, as footage from the protest shows.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) acknowledged the public’s “immense feeling of concern” and affirmed the right to protest, noting that the demonstration concluded peacefully.
The force has referred itself for investigation and removed the involved officer from duty.
The video, filmed Tuesday evening, captures a male officer holding a Taser over a man lying face down before kicking him in the head.
The incident, which occurred at Terminal 2 following reports of a fight, has been described as “truly shocking” by GMP.
During the protest on Wednesday, several hundred people gathered outside the Rochdale police station.
The Manchester Evening News reported that one protester declared they would no longer tolerate “police brutality.”
GMP stated that three officers were violently attacked while attempting to arrest a suspect, with one suffering a broken nose.
Four men were arrested at the scene for affray and assault on emergency workers.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will assess GMP’s referral and determine further action.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and other officials have expressed deep concern over the incident.
