A 19-year-old man has been diagnosed with a brain cyst following an alleged police assault at Manchester Airport. The young man, identified as Mohammed Fahir, was reportedly kicked and stamped on by a police officer, leading to serious injuries.
The officer involved has been suspended from duty after a video surfaced, showing Fahir being attacked while lying face down on the ground. The footage, recorded at Terminal 2, also appears to show the officer striking a second man. This incident has sparked significant public outcry.
Following the release of the video, around 100 protesters gathered outside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's office. Demonstrators, holding Black Lives Matter banners, chanted "No justice, no peace" in response to the footage. One protester declared, "The fight for justice will be won on the streets of Rochdale."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the incident. Police reported that three officers were assaulted during the altercation, including a female officer who sustained a broken nose. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Paul Waugh, MP for Mr. Fahir's family, expressed the family's desire for justice and appealed for calm. "I have spoken to the family involved, and they are deeply traumatized. Their immediate concerns are the health and wellbeing of their family members, especially Mohammed," Waugh said.
Fahir has been diagnosed with a brain cyst after undergoing a CT scan. His condition remains critical, and he is described as "fighting for his life." The family's distress is compounded by the fact that Fahir's brother and their 56-year-old mother were also assaulted during the incident. They had arrived at the airport to pick up their mother, who had flown in from Pakistan.
The family's solicitor, Akhmed Yakoob, also addressed the media. Yakoob, known for his involvement in the West Midlands mayoral election, expressed the family's distress. "Mohammed Fahir has undergone a CT scan and is fighting for his life. His brother and mother were also assaulted at the airport," Yakoob reported. However, He refrained from discussing the cause of the incident, focusing instead on the family's health and wellbeing.
Solicitor Akhmed Yakoob, representing the family, has called attention to the severity of the situation. Known for his candid approach and political involvement, Yakoob detailed the family's ordeal. "The assault on Mohammed Fahir is severe. His mother was also punched and kicked in the face. This barbaric treatment by the police is unjustifiable," Yakoob stated.
The solicitor urged the public to focus on the family's well-being rather than allowing extremists to exploit the situation for their own agendas. He emphasized the importance of not letting political motives overshadow the family's need for privacy and healing.
"The family includes a serving police officer who is now too afraid to go to work. They want to avoid becoming the center of a media circus and hope for a thorough and fair investigation," Yakoob added.
As the IOPC investigation continues, the family seeks both justice and a period of peace to recover from the traumatic events.
