"No police officer in that situation has a right"
The brothers who were arrested at Greater Manchester Airport are now being represented by high-profile Scottish human rights Aamer Anwar.
Mr Anwar said it was “the family’s choice to withdraw their instruction” from Akhmed Yakoob but declined to say why they had cut ties with him.
Footage showed an officer kicking Muhammad Fahir in the face while he was arrested alongside his brother Amaad.
However, new footage showed Fahir attacking three officers just seconds before he was kicked.
In response, Mr Yakoob declared:
“After consulting with the family I have decided for now to step aside and I have recommended the family to a lawyer.”
Mr Anwar has replaced Mr Yakoob and stated there was “no justification” for a police officer trained to take “split-second decisions” and kick a prone suspect.
He claimed the context was “irrelevant”.
Mr Anwar said that even after seeing the CCTV of the brothers punching the officers, he has not changed his stance.
Mr Anwar has previously represented other high-profile cases, including the family of Sheku Bayoh, who died in police custody.
In 2015, Mr Bayoh stopped breathing after he was handcuffed by officers responding to a call in Fife.
During an inquiry into his death, Mr Anwar challenged the police officers involved to give a full testimony if they had nothing to hide.
Mr Anwar has also represented the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, which demanded answers as to why Nicola Sturgeon failed to produce any pandemic diaries for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Defending the brothers involved in the Manchester Airport incident, Mr Anwar said:
“The officer has discharged a Taser, the suspect is lying incapacitated on the floor.
“No police officer in that situation has a right to take a running kick to his head and then stamp on him as well.
“No police officer is above the law, no matter the context of his actions.
“Firearms officers are extremely highly trained professionals, they have to take split-second decisions which could result in someone losing their life.
“The family have made it clear that all communities should remain calm over what happened, and they have expressed their concerns for the health of the officers involved.
“This is a family with more than one relative serving in the police.
“They have said that if a family member has committed a criminal offence then they should face due process.
“But that doesn’t excuse unlawful actions by the police. The officers need to answer for their actions.”
“We require the release of all the video material that is available, not just the CCTV clip which has been leaked.
“If it has been leaked in order to spin how this incident is perceived, that is extremely dangerous.
“It amounts to seeking to prejudice live proceedings.
“We need to see all the bodycam footage that exists in relation to all the incidents at the airport.
“And if police bodycams were not switched on, that would beg even more questions.”
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