The Rochdale brothers who were arrested at Manchester Airport are being represented by high profile Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar.
Mr Anwar said it was ‘the family’s choice to withdraw their instruction’ from controversial ‘ TikTok lawyer’ Akhmed Yakoob, but declined to say why they had cut ties with him.
Greater Manchester Police was plunged into crisis last week after footage emerged of an officer kicking Muhammed Fahir, 19, while he was arrested alongside his brother Amaad.
However, a CCTV clip obtained over the weekend shed more light on the incident as it shows Fahir attacking three officers just seconds before he was kicked on the ground.
In response, the family’s solicitor Mr Yakoob released a video on Instagram on Sunday, declaring: ‘After consulting with the family I have decided for now to step aside and I have recommended the family to a lawyer’.
Replacing Mr Yakoob, Mr Anwar told BBC Newsnight there was ‘no justification’ for a police officer trained to take ‘split second decisions’ and kick a prone suspect, claiming that the context was ‘irrelevant’.
Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar (pictured) is now representing the brothers arrested at Manchester Airport
Footage of a police officer kicking Muhammed Fahir, 19, while he was arrested alongside his brother Amaad
He told the Mail that even after seeing the CCTV of the brothers punching the officers – which resulted in widespread backing for the suspended constable – he had not changed his stance.
Mr Anwar has previously represented for other high profile cases, including for the family of ‘Scotland’s George Floyd’ Sheku Bayoh, who died in police custody.
Mr Bayoh, 31, stopped breathing in May 2015 after he was cuffed by officers responding to a call in Kirkcaldy, 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.
The top lawyer has also represented the family of Emma Caldwell, whose killer Iain Packer walked free for 19 years despite officers being repeatedly told he ‘is the man’.
Mr Anwar said some officers at Police Scotland had ‘betrayed justice’, Emma, and the other women who were also Packer’s victims.
Mr Anwar also represented the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, who demanded answers as to why Nicola Sturgeon failed to produce any pandemic diaries for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Defending the two brothers involved in the Manchester Airport arrest, Mr Anwar said today: ‘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.
Controversial ‘ TikTok lawyer’ Akhmed Yakoob (pictured) is no longer representing the two brothers
‘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.’
He added: ‘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.’
