Manchester police officers get caught in ‘Islamophobia’ and ‘police brutality’ controversy

On July 23, the Manchester Police took into custody four people belonging to the Muslim community for assaulting an emergency staff at the Manchester airport and obstructing police. The video of the violent incident is going viral on social media.

In the clip, the police can be seen tackling the arrested individuals. But the incident has triggered a serious controversy concerning police brutality and Islamophobia claims. It is being covered by different media houses across the globe.

Greater Manchester Police takes action as outrage deepens

On July 25, the Greater Manchester Police released a statement from their official account on X. Highlighting the video footage going viral and the people’s concerns about it, the statement read: “The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence.”

Prior to the arrest being made, the police officers responded to reports of an assault at Terminal 2, Manchester airport at 8:25 pm on July 23, the statement added. It noted that the alleged suspect could be seen on CCTV and that officers attended the location to arrest him.

The Greater Manchester Police statement further highlighted that at the time of responding to the incident, three officers got assaulted. A female officer suffered a broken nose and the other officers sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Four men have been arrested in connection to the case. One male officer has been removed from operational duties and the police force is making a voluntary referral of their policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, as per the X post.

Islamists demand action against the police officers

The incident has triggered outrage in the Muslim community. Numerous Islamists on social media have been demanding action against the police officers involved or there is a chance of them unleashing protests like “you have never seen before”.

The case of ‘Islamophobia’ is also being alleged. Several Muslims reached the police station on July 24 evening, demanding the release of the accused persons. The individuals have reportedly returned home, according to a different post on X.