Lawyer accuses police of “leaking footage” to smear brothers in airport kicking incident

In a press conference held in Manchester on Tuesday (6 August) lawyer Aamer Anwar accused Greater Manchester Police of leaking the footage

The lawyer representing the family at the centre of the viral Manchester Airport arrest video has accused police of a deliberate smear campaign to “manipulate the outcome” of the investigation.

In a press conference held in Manchester on Tuesday (6 August) lawyer Aamer Anwar accused Greater Manchester Police of leaking the footage to tarnish the reputations of Fahir Amaaz, 19, and Muhammad Amaad, 25.
 

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The brothers, appearing alongside their mother and Anwar, are at the centre of a contentious incident captured on 23 July at Manchester Airport Terminal 2.

The footage, which has since gone viral, depicts police officers seemingly kicking one of the brothers in the head while attempting to restrain them with tasers drawn.

This video emerged following the incident, showing apparent violence prior to the brothers' detention by police.

Anwar, speaking on behalf of the family, emphasised the respectable background of the Amaaz family, noting that one of the brothers had recently interviewed to join GMP and that other family members are currently serving officers within the force.
 

Read more: Hundreds protest at police station after it emerges man in shocking airport footage is from Rochdale Published: 25 July 2024

The family's lawyer strongly alleges that the police leaked the video in a deliberate attempt to discredit the brothers and sway the investigation conducted by an independent police watchdog. "This leak is not just an attempt to smear Fahir and Muhammad but also an egregious effort to manipulate the outcome of an impartial investigation," Anwar stated.

In response to the growing controversy, GMP has confirmed that an officer involved in the incident has been suspended from official duties pending further investigation.