Mohammed Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad are on trial accused of unlawfully using a 'high level of violence' against police at the car park pay station area in July 2024. The brothers deny a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against PC Zachary Marsden. The officer and two colleagues suffered '12 blows, a kick, elbow strikes and punches' during 30 seconds of violence, according to the prosecution.
Police went to arrest Mr Amaaz for allegedly assaulting a passenger inside the terminal building moments earlier. At a previous trial, Mr Amaaz was convicted of assaulting Abdulkareem Ismaeil in Starbucks, and of assaulting two female police officers, PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook. The 2024 Manchester Airport brawl was an attack on British police officers involving two brothers and three Greater Manchester Police officers.
I made no comment because of legal advice I was given.
The brothers claimed they were acting in self-defence. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz was convicted of assault in 2025. The prosecution argued that the brothers were 'out of control', and that Amaad 'seen red' and joined in with violence.
The kick and stamp by PC Marsden had nothing to do with the real issue because it came after the violence from Amaaz, the prosecution added. The incident occurred on July 23, 2024, in the Terminal 2 car park at Manchester Airport. Police attended the carpark following reports of an altercation between the brothers and another individual.
That claim is wrong.
, a fight was reported involving multiple passengers of Qatar Airways flight QR023 in Manchester Airport. , claiming it had occurred in the Starbucks of the airport's terminal two. m.
in the car park area of the airport. The police found the two brothers, 25-year-old Muhammed Amaad, 20-year-old Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, and their mother, 56-year-old Shameem Akhtar. The altercation was caused by an argument between the brothers and an alleged victim, Abdulkareem Ismaeil, who was headbutted and punched twice by one of the brothers as a result of abusing their mother.
My use of force was defensive.
Police officers Lydia Ward and Zachary Marsden were informed over the radio that the brother who headbutted Ismaeil was wearing a blue tracksuit. The officers headed to the terminal's car park payment station to make an arrest. PC Marsden, along with PC Lydia Ward and PC Ellie Cook, approached Amaaz to arrest him after a report he had headbutted a customer at the Starbucks café in the arrivals hall.
The officers tried to move Amaaz away from the payment station in order to handcuff him, but he resisted. Amaaz lashed out at both policewomen, the prosecution said. Both brothers were Tasered.
I deny each of those allegations.
Officers attempted to handcuff Amaaz, but both brothers started punching the police, kicking and punching the officers multiple times. One of the brothers broke a female officer's nose. Both men were taken into custody on the scene.
The incident was captured on CCTV camera and police body cameras. Footage appeared to show an armed officer stomping and kicking the head of Amaaz, who was lying on the ground after being subdued. Three officers were injured as a result of the incident.
I do not agree that my use of force was unlawful.
Mr Amaad claims he acted in self-defence. Jurors have heard that Mr Amaad made no comment in his police interview. Mr Birkby claimed Mr Amaad only put his hands on his head because he 'didn't want to be Tasered again'.
Mr Amaad denied that claim, saying it was wrong. Mr Birkby claimed Mr Amaad's use of force was offensive, not defensive, including grabbing PC Marsden's arm, vest, pushing him onto chairs, and punching him six times. Mr Amaad does not agree that his use of force was unlawful.
I don't want to die.
Mr Amaad accepts, after watching CCTV, that his mother was trying to pull him away from PC Marsden. Mr Amaad said during evidence-in-chief that he thought 'I don't want to die' after seeing PC Marsden's Glock firearm. PC Marsden did not draw his Glock at any time during the incident; it remained in its holster.
PC Marsden did not threaten to shoot anyone on July 23. Mr Amaad said he put his hands on his head because he saw the firearm on PC Marsden's hip, not because of the Taser. Mr Birkby asked if it occurred to Mr Amaad that the officers were there to arrest his brother for the earlier incident; Mr Amaad said no.
I put my hands on my head because I saw the firearm on PC Marsden's hip, not because of the Taser.
Character references described Mr Amaad as reliable, kind, dependable, hospitable, amazing to work for, and a devoted and loving uncle. PC Ward said she saw the 'man in blue' near the ticket machine and considered he would be 'potentially violent'. She said it was 'potentially a dangerous situation' and they needed to arrest him as soon as possible.
PC Ward said she discussed with PC Marsden that he would make the arrest and she would transport the prisoner. She believed there were reasonable grounds for the arrest due to information of an assault, and that the arrest was necessary to prevent harm to others and to gather evidence. The incident sparked heated reactions in British society, with many people accusing Manchester police of racism.
No, it did not occur to me that the officers were there to arrest my brother for the earlier incident.
Misinformation about officers' injuries and comments were made online. The story received widespread coverage in media, including One News, Al Jazeera English, and CNN. British political figures like Tommy Robinson and George Galloway reacted to the incident on social media.
Reform UK member Lee Anderson showed his support for the officer who kicked the man in the head. Reform UK said they would file lawsuits against the men if GMP refused to file charges against them. Imran Khan KC, defense barrister for Amaaz, described the incident as an example of 'bad policing'.
This is a case of 'chaos, confusion and Keystone cops'.
He described the case as 'chaos, confusion and Keystone cops'. He said PC Marsden acted contrary to his training and in violation of codes of practice, and that his conduct undermined public confidence. Khan described PC Marsden as a 'bad apple, a rotten apple in the barrel', and said he failed to gather appropriate intelligence or assess risk.
' The kick and stamp were 'vindictive, shocking and cruel', Khan said. PC Marsden used 'unlawful and unnecessary' force against Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, according to Khan. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz is now 21.
Muhammad Amaad is 26. PC Marsden is 26. The outcome of the internal investigation into PC Marsden's conduct has not been confirmed, and it is unclear whether any charges were brought against him.
The specific injuries sustained by the three officers, including the extent of the broken nose, have not been detailed. The content of the misinformation spread online about the officers' injuries and comments remains unverified.