The man whose head was kicked and stamped on by a Greater Manchester Police officer is related to someone who serves on the force, a lawyer for the family has said.
Akhmed Yakoob made the comment in a statement outside Rochdale Police Station a day after footage of the incident at Manchester Airport was shared widely on social media.
Mr Yakoob added that the police officer is now “afraid to go to work”.
He added: “He went in today and spoke to his supervisor, and the only reason he is not going to work is because he is fearing for his own safety.”
The man who was stamped on has been named as Fahir in an Instagram video by Mr Yakoob, who said at the press conference that he has a cyst on his brain.
He added Fahir’s condition has worsened overnight.
Mr Yakoob is also representing Fahir’s brother Amaad and their elderly mother – with all three of them claiming they were assaulted by at least one officer at the airport on Tuesday night.
From left: Fahir, lawyer Akhmed Yakoob, and Amaad
The statement comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed an officer had been suspended in relation to footage which showed a suspect being kicked in the head and stamped on while he was lying on the ground.
The footage, which was filmed at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, led to an outcry after it was shared widely on social media.
GMP said earlier it understands the “immense feeling of concern and worry that people feel” after the footage emerged.
An estimated 200 demonstrators gathered outside Rochdale Police Station on Wednesday night with some shouting “GMP shame on you!”.
Police said the protest ended “without incident”.
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