A 56-year-old grandmother was allegedly hit in the face with a taser by a police officer at Manchester Airport shortly after he kicked and attempted to stomp on her son as he lay motionless face down, the family’s lawyer said.

Protests broke out in Rochdale and Manchester city centre after a video posted on social media showed the kicks during an arrest at the airport on July 23.

Days later, further footage emerged, obtained by the Manchester Evening News, showing the immediate background to the unrest in the parking ticket office area of ​​the airport’s Terminal 2.

Male and female police officers attempted to detain Fahir Amaaz, 19, and Muhammad Amaad, 25, who were involved in a series of punches and punches – with two female officers falling to the ground – before Mr Amaaz was tasered.

On Tuesday, Shameem Akhtar, 56, and her sons, Mr Amaaz and Mr Amaad, appeared at a press conference in central Manchester alongside their lawyer Aamer Anwar to “set the record straight… following a deliberate attempt to defame the family”.

Mr Anwar said the family, from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, were “devastated and traumatised” by the incident and had also been subjected to “horrific, racist and Islamophobic abuse on social media”.

However, he added: “The family would like to state on record that if the two young men who were sitting next to me and who are seen on the video … are charged with a crime, their family is fully committed to ensuring that they face a fair and fair trial.”

“The young men sitting next to me have no previous convictions, not even a speeding ticket.

“In fact, members of the family serve as police officers in the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and other members of the family serve in other parts of the country. And Mr Amaad himself went through an application process to join the GMP.”

Photographs distributed at the press conference showed bruising on the left side of Ms Akhtar’s face, allegedly caused by what her family described as the “commotion” that broke out at the toll booth.

Ms. Akhtar tried to pull her son’s head away after the apparent stomping, thinking the officer “could have killed her son in that moment,” Mr. Anwar said.

Mr Anwar continued: “As seen in the video, the man allegedly kneels down on Fahir, places his knee on his back while he is still limp, and then looks directly up at Ms Akhtar.

“At this point, the male officer still has his Taser drawn and allegedly strikes Ms. Akhtar directly in the face with his right hand, in which he is holding the Taser, using his Taser as a weapon. At this point, Ms. Akhtar screamed and held her face because she was afraid that she would now be subjected to the same violence that she accuses her sons of.”

She said Ms Akhtar later touched her face and noticed that her cheek was bleeding under her left eye and that she was “dazed, crying and disoriented”.

Mr Anwar said no official attended to her injuries while she and her crying, “distraught” six-year-old grandson were left with their luggage scattered everywhere.

He said a passerby eventually helped her and took her home.

A police officer was suspended from GMP following the incident and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) later said that a police officer, believed to be the same officer, was being criminally investigated for assault.

Following the release of the subsequent footage, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham urged people to “step back” and let the authorities investigate.

Mr Amaaz and Mr Amaad were among four men arrested on suspicion of affray and assault and later released on bail.

Mr Anwar said he was seeking a further meeting with IOPC regional director Catherine Bates to lodge a formal complaint against GMP officials and was also seeking a meeting with the mayor.

The lawyer added: “The family also wants to express that they know better than many other families that the police play a crucial role in our society and do their work with the consent of the population. And it is precisely when they make such big mistakes that they must be held accountable.”

“Equally, the police should be praised when they do something right and the family would like to express their gratitude to the police who for days have had to face right-wing, racist thugs who are causing violent unrest and spreading fear across England.”

But Mr Anwar added: “In our democracy, we have the right to expect that those in uniform do not behave like thugs and act within the law. Furthermore, the use of force must be reasonable, legitimate and proportionate.”

Describing what he believed to be the “trigger” of the incident, Mr Anwar said Ms Akhtar had previously been subjected to a “tirade of alleged racist abuse” by a fellow passenger, a male Kuwaiti national, on a Qatar Airways flight returning from a holiday in Pakistan.

He said: “She felt uncomfortable on the plane and sat down in the empty seat next to her so she could be more comfortable. Shortly after she took her seat she heard a man muttering in the row behind her. At first she paid him no attention but then over the next few hours the man went out of his way to subject her to a tirade of allegedly racist abuse.

“He repeatedly called her a ‘slut’ and referred to her as a ‘f***ing slut’.” For several hours of the flight, Ms Akhtar was afraid that the man would become violent and attack her. Despite her appeals to the cabin crew, they did not intervene.

“She asked the man to calm down, but he did not listen to her, even though she told him she was not well. He towered over her and cursed at her. It was a mixture of insults in English and Arabic.

“The man’s wife intervened and asked him to stop and sit down. However, the man continued and his children made fun of Ms Akhtar.”

She claimed that the man later repeatedly bumped into her with his carry-on luggage as she made her way to baggage claim.

As Ms Akhtar left the arrivals hall, she saw her two sons and her grandchild and “burst into tears,” Mr Anwar said, describing her ordeal.

She later noticed the male passenger as they passed the Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2.

Mr Anwar said: “Her two sons approached the man and questioned him about the abuse. The man was rude and laughed in her sons’ faces. An argument then ensued.”

The family then made their way to the parking lot.

Mr Anwar said he had previously raised concerns about GMP’s “failure” to investigate an alleged hate crime against Ms Akhtar.

Mr Anwar continued: “GMP confirmed a few days ago that following their investigation they consider that the evidence is insufficient to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

“The person, who was a Kuwaiti citizen, will be allowed to return to his homeland today.

“Ms Akhtar feels betrayed and once again let down by GMP’s inaction.”

GMP has requested witness statements relating to the altercation on Qatar Airways flight QR023, which arrived at 7.20pm, the second “violent” altercation at Starbucks at 8.22pm and the incident in the car park checkout area at 8.28pm.

In a statement, GMP said: “Investigations into the incidents that occurred at Manchester Airport on 23 July are ongoing.

“We are cooperating fully with the independent investigation into police conduct while actively pursuing lines of inquiry into three incidents.

“We have received all relevant surveillance camera footage and are continuing to look for witnesses.

“If you have any information or footage that assists the police investigation, please submit it via GMP’s public portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP23S59-PO1”