LONDON – On Friday, two siblings were formally charged with assaulting law enforcement during an altercation that took place at Manchester Airport in July, an event that sparked public outrage after a video surfaced online appearing to show an officer stomping on a man lying on the ground.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that no charges would be filed against the officers involved, citing a lack of confidence in securing a conviction. “We have reviewed all the available evidence, including witness statements, video footage, expert reports and other material related to police use of force, to make an independent and objective assessment about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the court to consider,” stated Frank Ferguson, who leads the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division. “We have concluded that no charges should be brought against any officers.”
This incident arose on July 23 when police were summoned to respond to a dispute involving passengers disembarking from a Qatar Airways flight at Terminal Two. During the altercation, three police officers were physically assaulted, resulting in one officer sustaining a broken nose, requiring hospitalization for all three.
At the time, four suspects were apprehended, with one police officer suspended pending further review. Brothers Mohammed Amaaz, aged 20, and Muhammed Amaad, aged 25, were charged on Friday. Amaaz faces multiple charges, including two counts of causing actual bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, and common assault, while Amaad has been charged with one count of causing actual bodily harm. The brothers are scheduled to appear before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on January 16.
Family representatives assert the men’s innocence and express their intention to contest the charges. The brothers, along with their mother, Shameem Akhtar, alleged they were subjected to police violence during the chaotic scene.
Their lawyer, Aamer Anwar, expressed the family’s disbelief over the CPS’s decision not to press charges against the officers involved and indicated they plan to seek a victim’s right of review concerning this prosecutorial decision.
The incident unfolded amidst growing concerns regarding police conduct in the UK, particularly accusations of excessive force against ethnic minorities and recent scandals involving serving officers implicated in serious offenses. Following the release of video footage showing an officer engaging in physical force against one of the individuals involved in the airport incident, approximately 200 demonstrators gathered outside Rochdale police station to protest against police brutality, prompting the suspension of the implicated officer.
The following day, significant crowds marched through central Manchester, disrupting traffic and tram services as they protested. Additional footage later emerged, depicting the violent and disordered nature of the scene, showing individuals striking officers as one officer deployed a stun gun to subdue a suspect.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson expressed approval of the CPS’s decision not to charge any officers from his department. “I welcome today’s decisions from the Crown Prosecution Service to charge two men with assaults on our officers and a member of the public at Manchester Airport earlier this year,” Watson stated, adding that he has reinstated the suspended officer. “I also welcome their decision to take no further criminal action against serving officers.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has indicated that it is nearing the conclusion of its investigation into the use of force by police on six individuals involved in the incident.