Protesters block Manchester tram lines after police officer kicked man in the head

25 July 2024 , 20:38

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Protestors block the tram tracks, during a demonstration in the wake of a video showing a police officer kicking a man as he was being detained at Manchester Airport (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

Central Manchester has been paralysed by a protest outside Andy Burnham’s offices after a video showed a police officer kicking a man in the head.

The viral video, taken at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, showed the officer Taser and stamp on the man while detaining him.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has since suspended the officer while referring itself to the police watchdog.

But the incident set off an outpouring of anger and frustration, with campaigners describing it as the latest episode of ‘police brutality’ as they demonstrated last night outside Rochdale police station.

The uproar showed no signs of easing today, as protesters from Stand Up To Racism Manchester packed Oxford Street from 6pm.

Protesters held signs up high reading ‘Black Lives Matter’, ‘GMP is racist’ and ‘dismantle GMP now’ as they marched towards Peter Street and St Peter’s Square.

Some have sat on the tracks just by the public square, causing ‘severe delays’ across the tram network, according to operator Bee Network.

‘Trams will be unable to operate through the city centre,’ it says.

‘Join us to send a clear message that we won’t stay quiet against racist police violence,’ a flyer for the protest posted on Facebook says.

James Smith