A peer who is advising ministers on their definition of Islamophobia compared the police response to the Manchester Airport attack to the murder of George Floyd.
Baroness Shaista Gohir, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, was quick to accuse officers of ‘police brutality’ and rashly claimed the incident had ‘remnants of the George Floyd murder’.
The women’s rights campaigner was only one of a series of high-profile Left-wing figures to seemingly jump to conclusions.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was found guilty on Wednesday of attacking PCs Lydia Ward, breaking her nose, and Ellie Cook, who suffered facial bruising. He was also found guilty of an attack on a plane passenger in a Starbucks cafe.
The assault happened on July 23 last year, when Amaaz and his brother, 26-year-old Muhammed Amaad, went to the airport to collect their mother. Violence broke out when three officers approached Amaaz to arrest him over the Starbucks incident.
The brothers face a retrial over charges of assault on another officer, PC Zachary Marsden, after the jury failed to reach verdicts.
Shortly after the fight, footage emerged of PC Zachary Marsden kicking Amaaz in the head – prompting anti-police protests with a number of Labour politicians voicing concern about police conduct.
Leaked CCTV footage later showed the violent incident in full.
But before the footage provided a clearer picture of what transpired, Labour MP for Rochdale Paul Waugh told the Commons: ‘The video footage of a Greater Manchester Police officer stamping on and kicking a man… is truly shocking and disturbing.
‘Our police face a very difficult job every day in keeping us all safe, but they themselves know that they have to expect the highest standards of conduct in their duties.’
Ms Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central, said she would pass his comments on to the Home Secretary and added: ‘Clearly, the footage is incredibly disturbing and there’s understandably a lot of concern, particularly in his constituency because it was his constituent affected.’
And Ms Cooper said she understood ‘the widespread distress’ the footage had caused, and said she had spoken to police about the ‘urgent steps’ they were taking.
Following the verdict, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Ms Cooper’s comments showed she had been more interested in criticising the police than standing up for brave officers.
‘A female officer had her nose broken by this vile thug, and the Home Secretary had nothing to say about that when it happened,’ he said.
‘It is shameful Yvette Cooper’s statement did not include any mention of the officers who were attacked even though it has been reported she was aware they had been injured when she made it. Yvette Cooper has questions to answer.’
And Mr Jenrick said Labour politicians who were too quick to ‘judge’ the police ‘should be ashamed’.
Ms Cooper hit back on Wednesday telling Times Radio: ‘I have always and continually offered strong support to police officers, who face appalling situations every day of the week.
‘I have spoken with Greater Manchester Police about this incident to ensure the officers get the support they need because it is important that they do.’
The Home Secretary was far from the only Left-winger to raise concerns about the brothers’ welfare before knowing the full picture.
Two days after the attack, Lady Gohir issued a statement saying: ‘This incident has remnants of the George Floyd murder, and is a stark reminder that minority communities are more likely to face police brutality.
‘What is further concerning is that on social media many have praised the police response, including Richard Tice MP of the Reform Party, who described it as ‘reassuring’. When police brutality is applauded by influential public figures, it is likely to fuel further racism and Islamophobia.’
Mr Floyd was murdered in 2020, when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than five minutes. The incident sparked international anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
Lady Gohir is part of a working group that will provide the Government with a definition of Islamophobia.
Critics have repeatedly raised fears that the current proposals could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech by stifling criticism of Islam as a religion.
Claire Coutinho, the shadow equalities minister, has claimed those involved with drawing up the definition include ‘activists with extreme views on how to define Islamophobia’.
Communities secretary Angela Rayner, has insisted the group will provide ‘evidence-based advice’ to ministers.
Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Rusholme, seemingly sided with the brothers’ in a post on X.
‘I’m aware of an incident at Manchester Airport where officers appear to use excessive force against an unarmed civilian,’ he wrote on July 24 last year.
Following yesterday’s verdicts, Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Stephen said: ‘While disappointed that the prosecution case was not fully endorsed, I welcome the findings of the jury in respect of the convicted offender, whose appalling conduct has now been exposed to legitimate public scrutiny.
‘Our officers first approached the man now convicted in order to make an arrest following the unprovoked assault on an innocent man in the presence of his wife and children.
‘They were responding quickly to precisely the sort of outrageous criminal behaviour that rightly offends the public.
‘Whilst assaults on police officers are sadly not uncommon – 44 of my officers are assaulted every week across Greater Manchester – such attacks can never be justified.
‘Our officers are decent people who routinely place themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. They deserve our respect and support.’
Mike Peake, chair of Greater Manchester Police Federation, which has been supporting the officers involved, said the public needed to get behind the police.
‘Police officers in Manchester work in a difficult, dangerous, and dynamic world where there is no such thing as a routine incident,’ he said.
‘They deserve support in that work from the public and politicians.
‘The distressing scenes we have seen during this trial show some of the worst side of police work that our officers are faced with.
‘We are bloodied and we are bruised.’
Video of the airport incident sparked two nights of protests across Greater Manchester.
Crowds descended on St Peter’s Square as they marched towards the Town Hall in the city centre, with people demanding the officers involved were sacked and cries of ‘no justice, no peace’.
The march has caused chaos in Manchester city centre, with roads blocked meaning traffic was unable to move and protesters staging a sit-in demonstration on tram tracks leaving trams stuck.
The protesters headed towards the office of Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who had said the incident was ‘not clear cut’ but ‘disturbing’.
Meanwhile, protesters in Rochdale were seen throwing eggs at the town’s police station.
Others built a makeshift barricade out of traffic cones and street furniture outside the doors to stop people going inside.
Among the protesters in Manchester was was Sammy Azam, 58, who had travelled with his wife from Nottingham, who described the actions of the officer seen kicking in the video as ‘deplorable’ and ‘unacceptable’.
His wife, who didn’t wish to be named, said: ‘He’s a professional officer. But he acted outside the realm of a professional.
‘It’s almost like this was a personal attack on a young man that had been tasered.
‘I personally believe he [the officer who delivered the kick] should be sacked and the other officers suspended because they failed to intervene.
‘They just stood by and watched him kick the lad.’