ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over the “use of excessive force” by British police at Manchester Airport after a video of officers hitting dual Pakistani nationals went viral, which later led to the removal of a male officer from operational duty and the arrest of four people.
The video showed the officer holding a taser over a man lying face down on the ground, with a woman in traditional Muslim attire next to him. The officer can be seen kicking the man’s head once before stamping his boot on it again and then using his knee to pin the man down.
He then moves toward another man, who can be seen holding his hands behind his head, telling him to kneel before kicking him in the stomach and pinning him to the ground.
Throughout the incident, two female police officers can be seen at the site trying to stop at least three men from filming. A London-based journalist working with a Pakistani media outlet confirmed that the arrested men were British-Pakistanis.
“We have seen the disturbing reports about the incident at Manchester Airport. Apparently, it involves dual-national Pakistanis,” foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said during a weekly news briefing on Thursday.
“We are obviously concerned about the conduct of the police and the excessive use of force in the viral video,” she continued. “We also advise all Pakistani nationals abroad to abide by the laws of the host country and respect the local culture, customs and legal system, police and cooperate with the local police.”
She confirmed the Pakistani mission in Manchester was in contact with the members of the Pakistani community and also the local police.
Earlier, Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry in Britain said three police officers were assaulted, a female officer’s nose had been broken, and other officers sustained injuries that required hospital treatment.
He also confirmed the arrest of four individuals on suspicion of assault and obstructing police in carrying out their duties.
However, he added: “We know that a film of an incident at Manchester Airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking. The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence. One male officer has been removed from operational duties.”
According to Manchester Evening News, hundreds of people staged a protest outside the Greater Manchester Divisional Police (GMP) headquarters in Rochdale on Wednesday evening. It said some protesters had covered their faces and were chanting “GMP shame on you” while others used fireworks.
“We’re no longer going to settle for this police brutality,” the report quoted a protester as saying. “We put our trust in the police and what they do instead they inflict violence upon us when we surrender to them. This is supposed to be the police, instead, they are gangsters in uniforms. We’re not going to put up with this anymore.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said he raised public concerns with the deputy chief constable, assuring that investigation into the issue would be handled properly.
