Opinions on Manchester Airport assault verdict and its implications for policing

[Wizeman]

Two brothers found not guilty of assaulting police officers at Manchester Airport. So two lads allegedly attack armed police, break one officer’s nose, after officers moved to arrest them following earlier aggressive behaviour toward members of the public at the airport — and they’re found not guilty. Any opinions on this? How are police meant to do there job when the justice system let's them down every time? They literally broke an officers nose. Armed police not to mention in a blooming airport, great place to attack them and no consequences. Fuming

What’s two tier about it?

Classic case of media sensationalist headlines to create more race hate which thickos fall for.

One brother has been found GUILTY for the assault on the 2.female police officers, which includes the one who got a broken news.

GUILTY!!!!!

The footage is horrendous.

Agreed. I can’t even bring myself to rewatch it to try and understand why the jury might’ve struggled to come to a verdict.

I’m annoyed and also annoyed a police officer is also still facing investigation and possibly criminal charges for kicking one of them. After seeing the video they’re lucky they weren’t shot! Can you imagine if they’d done this in America? Neither would be alive. Their solicitor (also Nicola sturgeons solicitor, say no more) stood outside court and had the audacity to complain about the conduct of the police officer saying that the police should remain calm at all times.

Those men are animas and their behaviour was atrocious. I hope the police go on strike to make a point about how little their safety seems to matter. I am a real leftie but I feel so angry about this case and upset for the police.

Two tier how?

Sounds like six of one and half a dozen of the other which is probably why a verdict couldn’t be reached.

Yes, it's a bit difficult to remain calm when you're getting your face smashed in.

Glad they were convicted of assaulting the female police officer, otherwise it would be atrocious. Tbf the reporting on this hasn’t been clear that they have already been convicted. Their solicitors seem full of it tbh, they claimed the judge in one case was sexist and called their colleague emotional when what he actually said was something quite different. They basically tried to get the case thrown out on some really silly grounds.

I feel sorry for that police officer and hope he’s cleared, they kicked off in an airport, they really were very lucky they weren’t shot frankly. I think it depends on where you live/grew up, sometimes a few boots to the face is the only way to subdue some people unfortunately.

But you can’t have the police striking (they aren’t allowed anyway) because they don’t like a jury’s decision/lack of decision. What are you suggesting they be calling for - juries to be overruled if there’s a general sense they’ve made a mistake? People to be retried again and again? What do you want anyone to actually do here?

Stop frothing at the mouth at fake news. The third charge involving the male officer didn't stick with the jury, presumably because the male officer appears to have used excessive force.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jul/30/men-guilty-manchester-airport-police-assault

They don't want to understand the facts because it goes against their racist sense of entitlement. Clearly OP has reviewed all the evidence in this case as opposed to the the two separate juries who could not reach a verdict. And of course our saintly (very often racist) police force can do no wrong can they.... If the defendants were white this thread would not exist.

Failed to reach a verdict does not mean guilty or not guilty. And as noted above, only failed on one of the charges.

This

No - the animal behaviour was the racist abuse they were exposed to

I understand the facts, one brother has been found guilty re the female officers, and has remained in custody awaiting sentencing. I also understand that two juries have failed to reach a verdict.

I also saw the video showing violent and thuggish behaviour by both men, not behaviour displayed or tolerated by the majority of people in our society. If only the police officer who lost his cool had remained calm, I think we might have seen convictions in the second trial. As others have said, in airports in other parts of the world where the police are armed, those men might not have made it to trial.

I believe their lawyer Aamer Anwar is Nicola Sturgeon's as well. He does like a high profile case.

Racism is unacceptable. The level of violence they responded with if the racism claims are true was completely disproportionate and disgusting.

I don’t think it’s even clear whether their violence was in response to racism.
In the statement pp linked upthread their solicitor is talking about racist abuse they’ve received after the incident at the airport.

Racism is violence.

Beating a racist is always an act of self defence.

@AndyBurnhamForPM you and I will have to agree to disagree on that then. That level of violence is as obscene.

This! Scumbags.

How do you know the police were being racist? Is there any evidence that they’d made some racist remarks before the attack?

No, that's not what it means. After two trials where two different juries haven't been able to reach verdicts it's not in the public interest to have a third trial. This will be for reasons of cost and because there no certainty a third trial won't also result in no verdict being reached. There was no jury verdict either way so no one can say they were guilty or not guilty.

We haven't seen all the evidence. And if two juries couldn't decide based on all the evidence that suggests it was very difficult to be sure the evidential threshold was met.