Hundreds gather outside police station as anger rises over video of officer kicking man in head at Manchester Airport

Hundreds of people gathered outside Greater Manchester divisional police headquarters in Rochdale late on Wednesday evening to protest after a video emerged showing a police officer kicking a man in the head at Manchester Airport.

Protesters, some wearing face coverings and chanting "GMP shame on you", were pictured outside the building, while others present let off fireworks. A witness estimated there were around 200 people in attendance.

One of the demonstrators told the crowd: “We’re no longer going to settle for this police brutality. We put our trust in the police and what do they do instead they inflict violence upon us when we surrender to them. This is supposed to be the police, instead they are gangsters in uniforms. We’re not going to put up with this anymore.”

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A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer has been 'removed from operational duties' after the video emerged and the force has also referred itself to the watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), acknowledging the footage captures a 'truly shocking event' that they 'understand creates alarm.'

GMP previously said they were called at 8:25pm on Tuesday evening to an 'altercation' between members of the public in Terminal Two, before the officers were subjected to a 'violent assault' while trying to make an arrest.

Four men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and assault of emergency service workers. Police said a female officer was left with a broken nose and that the other officers were hospitalised. The force also said that there was a risk of the armed officers' 'firearms being taken'.

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