A 56-year-old British-Pakistani grandmother was hit in the face with a Taser by a police officer at Manchester Airport moments after he kicked and tried to stamp on her son as he lay motionless face down, according to the family's lawyer.
Protests broke out in Rochdale and Manchester city centre after a video circulated on social media showing the kicking incident during an airport arrest on 23 July of two British Pakistani brothers who were at the airport to meet their mother Shameem Akhtar, 56, who was returning from Pakistan. Days later, further footage emerged showing the moments leading up to the disturbance in the paid parking area of Terminal 2 at the airport.
Male and female officers attempted to restrain Fahir Amaaz, 19, and Muhammad Amaad, 25, who were attacked with a series of blows and punches (two female officers were knocked to the ground) before Amaaz was attacked with a Taser.
Akhtar, his sons Amaaz and Amaad appeared alongside their lawyer Aamer Anwar at a press conference in Manchester city centre to “set the record straight”. […] after a deliberate attempt to defame the family.”
Anwar said the family, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, had been left “devastated and traumatised” by the incident and had also been subjected to “horrific, racist and Islamophobic abuse on social media”.
The lawyer added: “The family wishes to state that if the two young men sat next to me and are seen on the video, […] They are accused of criminality, their family fully supports that they should face a strict and due process of law.
“The young men sitting next to me do not have a single criminal conviction, not even a speeding ticket. In fact, members of the family are serving police officers with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and other family members are based in other parts of the country. And Amaad himself has been through an interview process to join GMP.”
Photographs were distributed at the news conference showing bruising on the left side of Akhtar’s face, said to have occurred during what the family described as the “pandemonium” that broke out at the fare station. Akhtar tried to turn his son’s head away after the apparent stomp and thought the officer “could have killed his son at that moment,” Anwar said.
She added: “As seen in the video, the man kneels on Amaaz, places his knee on her back while she is still limp, and then stares at Akhtar. At this point, the officer still has his Taser drawn and, with his right hand holding his Taser, he allegedly strikes Akhtar directly in the face using his Taser as a weapon. At this point, Akhtar screamed and held her face because she was terrified that she would now be subjected to the same violence that she says her children suffered.”
She said Akhtar then touched her face and noticed she was bleeding from her cheek under her left eye and that she was “dazed, crying and disoriented.”
Anwar said no police treated her injuries and she and her crying and “distraught” six-year-old grandson were left with their luggage strewn everywhere. She said a passerby eventually helped her and took her home.
A police officer was suspended by GMP following the incident and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) later said a police constable, believed to be the same officer, was under criminal investigation for assault.
Following the release of the subsequent images, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham urged people to “step back” and allow authorities to carry out their investigations.
Amaaz and Amaad were among four men who were arrested on suspicion of affray and assault before being later released on bail.
Anwar said he is seeking a further meeting with IOPC regional director Catherine Bates about lodging a formal complaint against GMP officials, and also a meeting with the mayor.
The lawyer added: “The family also wishes to state that it knows better than many other families that the police play a crucial role in our society and that they act with the consent of the people and that is precisely why when they make such grave mistakes they must be held accountable.
“In the same way, when they do the right thing, the police should be commended and the family would like to put on record their thanks to the police who for days had to deal with racist right-wing thugs who caused violent riots and spread fear across England.”
But Anwar added: “In our democracy, we have a right to expect that police officers will not act like thugs and will act within the law and that any force used must be reasonable, legitimate and proportionate.”
Describing what he said “triggered” the incident, Anwar said Akhtar had previously been subjected to a “tirade of alleged racist abuse” by a fellow passenger, a Kuwaiti national, on a Qatar Airways flight as he returned from a holiday in Pakistan.
He said: “She was not feeling well on the plane and as a result used the empty seat next to her so she could sit more comfortably. Shortly after using the seat, she could hear a man mumbling in the row behind her. At first she paid him no attention but then the man went out of his way over the course of the next few hours to subject her to a tirade of alleged racist abuse.
“He repeatedly called her a “b***h” and referred to her as a “b***h.” For several hours during the flight, Akhtar was afraid the man would become violent and assault her. Despite her pleas to the cabin crew, they did nothing to intervene.
“She asked the man to calm down, but he refused to listen to her despite telling her he was not feeling well. He was on top of her and swearing at her. It was a mix of insults in English and Arabic.
“The man’s wife intervened and asked him to stop and sit down, but the man continued and his children ridiculed Akhtar.”
She claimed the man then used his carry-on luggage to repeatedly bump into her as she made her way to the baggage claim area.
Akhtar saw her two children and grandson as she left the arrivals area and “burst into tears,” Anwar said, recounting her ordeal.
She later noticed the male passenger as they walked past the Starbucks coffee shop in Terminal 2.
Anwar said: “His two sons approached the man and asked him about the abuse. The man was rude and laughed in his sons’ faces. An altercation then ensued.”
The family then headed towards the parking area.
Anwar said he had previously expressed concern about the GMP's “failure” to investigate an alleged hate crime against Akhtar.
Anwar continued: “A few days ago, GMP confirmed that following their investigation, they believed there was insufficient evidence for a realistic chance of conviction. The individual, who was a Kuwaiti national, will be able to return home today. Akhtar feels betrayed and once again let down by GMP’s inaction.”
GMP has appealed for witnesses to the incident on Qatar Airways flight QR023, which arrived at 19:20, the second “violent” incident at Starbucks at 20:22 and the incident in the paid parking area at 20:28.
In a statement, GMP said: “Investigations into the incidents at Manchester Airport on 23 July are ongoing.
“We are fully cooperating with the independent investigation examining police conduct, while actively pursuing lines of inquiry into three incidents.
“We have obtained all relevant CCTV footage and are continuing to appeal for witnesses.
