A police officer has been “removed from operational duties” following an incident which occurred at Manchester Airport earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it is “aware” of a video which has been widely circulating on social media appearing to show one of its officers kicking and stamping on a man’s head while he is on the ground as another officer attempts to detain him following what has been referred to as an “earlier altercation”.
The police force has now issued formal statement addressing the video – which has been shared and viewed thousands of times online.
The incident referred to as the subject of the video occurred on Tuesday 23 July.
We are aware of a video that is circulating online which shows our firearms officers responding to an incident at Manchester Airport.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 24, 2024
GMP says it was called out to an “altercation” between members of the public in Manchester Airport‘s Terminal 2 at around 8:25pm, before the officers were the subjected to a “violent assault” as they tried to make an arrest.
During the altercation, GMP says there was a risk of the armed police officers’ “firearms being taken”, and following the incident, it has been confirmed that a female officer was left with a broken nose, and other officers were hospitalised.
Four men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and assault of emergency service workers.
The force has confirmed that its Professional Standards Directorate is assessing the video footage, and that a referral has also been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Following the chaotic footage caught on camera beginning to reach the eyes of the wider public online, GMP’s Assistant Chief Constable, Wasim Chaudhry, addressed the nature of the incident in a formal statement, and confirmed the measures being taken by the force going forward.
We know that our communities are rightly concerned by video footage, which is being circulated online, that shows armed police officers responding to an incident at Manchester Airport .
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 24, 2024
ACC Chaudhry’s statement reads in full: “We know that a film of an incident at Manchester Airport that is circulating widely shows an event that is truly shocking, and that people are rightly extremely concerned about. The use of such force in an arrest is an unusual occurrence and one that we understand creates alarm.
“In advance of what is shown in the footage available, we were called to reports of an assault at Terminal 2 Manchester Airport at 8:25pm on Tuesday 23 July. The alleged suspect was seen on CCTV at a ticket machine in the car park and officers attended the location to arrest him.
“During our response, three officers were assaulted. One female officer suffered a broken nose, and the other officers were forced to the ground and suffered injuries which required hospital treatment.
“One male officer has been removed from operational duties, and we are making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families
Emily Sergeant
A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.
With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.
According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.
It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.
This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.
The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre
From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.
“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.
“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)
Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.
“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”
The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.
All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.
Emily Sergeant -
25th July 2024 
