Attack on paramedic in city centre slammed as 'abhorrent'

The North West Ambulance Service has described an attack on a paramedic over the weekend as 'abhorrent'.

The worker was pushed off his bike in Manchester city centre on Sunday (May 7) by one of a group of around 150 people who were 'engaging in anti-social behaviour', police said. Thankfully, he was not injured.

But the ambulance service said this incident, which sparked a police response and triggered officers to put a huge dispersal order in place across the city, was not just a 'one-off', with paramedics often facing violent or aggressive people while trying to do their jobs.

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In a statement, an NWAS spokesperson said: "Attacks like this are abhorrent, and our staff shouldn’t have to fear violence or aggression as they do their jobs. Furthermore, regrettably, this is not something they face as just a one-off during their careers.

"While the paramedic involved luckily wasn’t injured on this occasion, acts of violence can have long-lasting physical and mental effects. We continue to do a lot of work to support staff who’ve been victims, and we encourage them to report incidents no matter the situation and, where appropriate, to work with the police to push for prosecution."

Police said the large group involved was 'engaging in anti-social behaviour', with some spraying the walls inside the shopping centre and on the windows outside. The group also reportedly blocked the tram tracks at Exchange Square and threw bottles at police officers.

Pat Karney, the council's city centre spokesperson, said the group was made up of 'young people' who have caused disruption in the city centre at least 'three times'. He said the group travel from different areas