Manchester Police ‘pinned student by the throat’ after Kill The Bill protest

Greater Manchester Police Professional Standards Branch is investigating after footage shows a police officer pinning a student by the throat to a riot van, after Manchester’s Kill The Bill protest on Saturday.

When walking home from the protest, the students walked past a riot van. One of the students, Joseph* shook his head at the police officers and one got out of the van. They say the officer pinned him against the van “by the throat” whilst shouting, “shake your fucking head at me, I’ll show you”.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “Following a public complaint in regards to this arrest, the incident has been referred to GMP’s Professional Standards Branch for assessment.”

When The Manchester Tab asked if this meant the incident was being internally investigated, the GMP spokesperson confirmed this was correct.

The group of students, who are studying at Futureworks Training in Salford, took part in the Manchester Kill The Bill protest organised by Sisters Uncut on Saturday, against the new police and crime bill and showing their support for women’s rights.

Joseph’s friend Luis* says multiple officers also rushed in and even “held their colleague back” as he was clearly incredibly “angry” and had entirely “lost his temper and control”.

One of Joseph’s friends, Maria* also says she was “slammed” by a police officer.

She said: “After displaying distress at what we were seeing, a male police officer picked me up off the ground and slammed me to the ground.” Maria says she is now “in pain and shock”. The incident happened within 200 feet of her home.

The incident was recorded by Joseph’s friends. In the footage, seen by The Manchester Tab, they can be heard coming to his aid, telling the officers “he did nothing wrong” and asking: “Why are they doing that?”

They say Joseph was arrested by the police and was supposed to be taken to the Salford station, but instead they allegedly “drove him to a McDonald’s and let him go”. GMP confirmed to The Manchester Tab he “detained for breach of the peace”, but was then “de-arrested”.

The students also allege the police refused to give them their badge number when asked and “threatened to keep him overnight” if he asked for their badge number again.

A spokesperson for General Manchester Police said: “Following protests in Manchester City Centre yesterday (Saturday 20 March 2021) an 18-year-old man was detained for breach of the peace. He was later de-arrested.

“Following a public complaint in regards to this arrest, the incident has been referred to GMP’s Professional Standards Branch for assessment.”

*Names have been changed

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• Kill The Bill protest takes place in Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester city centre

• In pictures: This weekend’s Kill The Bill protest in Manchester

• Here’s how you can take part in the Reclaim the Night events in Manchester this week