Outrage after British police officer filmed kicking man in the head

An armed British police officer has been filmed kicking a man in the head as he lay on the ground in an incident that has been denounced as an example of police brutality.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the attack on the man took place at Manchester Airport on Tuesday.

In a video widely shared online, armed police can be seen pointing Tasers at a man lying on the ground, before one officer begins kicks and then stamps the man in the head.

An older woman attempts to protect the man, who continues to remain on the ground, as none of the other officers attempt to help the man or reprimand the officer.

Instead, the other officers point their Tasers at a crowd of outraged onlookers shouting at them to stop. Another man with his hands on his head is then kicked and punched by the same police officer as he appears to follow instructions to also get on the ground.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police said that the incident had taken place after three officers were assaulted during an arrest.

“One female officer suffered a broken nose and the other officers were forced to the ground and suffered injuries which required hospital treatment,” a statement from Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry said.

The statement said that a police officer had been “removed from operational duties” and that the force was “making a voluntary referral of our policing response to the Independent Office of Police Conduct”.