BBC Breakfast has found itself at the centre of a furious “bias” row following its coverage of the Manchester Airport incident which has resulted in the suspension of an officer.
In video footage which has been circulated widely on social media, a man is kicked in the head and stamped on while lying on the ground by a uniformed member of Greater Manchester Police.
After a video of the incident went viral, GMP released a statement confirming the officer’s suspension while adding that armed police were deployed to Manchester Airport after officers were attacked, including a female officer who had her nose broken.
The brothers involved, Muhammad Fahir Amaaz and Amaad Amaaz, who are being legally represented by Akhmed Yakoob, are said to have been left “traumatised” by the incident, with one claiming to have a “cyst” on the brain as a result.
Protests have erupted in Manchester and Rochdale ever since, but mayor Andy Burnham has called for calm after describing the video and the subsequent fallout as “fast-moving and complicated” and not “clear cut”.
On Friday’s BBC Breakfast, Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt welcomed Rochdale MP Paul Waugh onto the show to discuss the latest developments after he’d spoken to members of the Amaaz family.
Paul Waugh MP appeared on BBC Breakfast after meeting with the family of the men involved in the Manchester Airport video
BBC
As they teed up the discussion, Stayt and Munchetty mentioned the fact one of the men had been kicked and stamped on, shared the claim the family is now “traumatised” by the incident, mentioned the officer’s suspension, and brought up the subsequent protests – but failed to mention right away the reasons for armed police’s intervention and the broken nose suffered by a member of the team.
Waugh relayed the family’s message to him, telling BBC viewers: “They wanted me to appeal for calm, they are acutely aware there are extremists of all sides who are keen to hijack this incident and use it for their own ends, the family are not interested in that at all.”
The MP also mentioned he’d met with the Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police as well as the family to “look at some of the footage and get the full facts”, but was unable to provide further details.
Following this – five minutes into the discussion – Munchetty eventually mentioned GMP’s statement on why officers were initially called to the incident and addressed the officer who had to be treated for a broken nose.
Paul Waugh spoke to Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt during Friday’s BBC Breakfast
BBC
After the interview with Waugh had concluded, viewers at home quickly took to social media to share their thoughts on the interview and how the BBC programme approached the matter.
And several comments regarding the broadcast were outraged by the failure to mention the circumstances that prompted armed officers’ arrival as well as the broken nose of a female officer at the beginning of the segment.
On X, formerly Twitter, one viewer slammed: “#BBCBreakfast #bbcnews Reporting of the Manchester airport incident are so one sided as to be inflammatory. If there are riots over this, the BBC should be in the docks afterwards. The article should start at the beginning and report why the police were there in the first place.”
A second echoed: “In the interest of balanced and impartial reporting. Could @BBCBreakfast give us an update on the injury sustained by the emergency worker at Manchester Airport please. #BBCBreakfast.”
Elsewhere, another raged: “Why do you insist on misrepresenting the Manchester airport incident?
“Before the scene you seem to focus on, the police were attacked by the individual and others, where one officer had her nose broken. This fact is useful context that you choose to omit. #BBCBreakfast.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Following a thorough review of further information that has become available in relation to an incident at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, Greater Manchester Police has suspended a police officer from all duties. pic.twitter.com/nDPp9XZayD
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 25, 2024
Complaints continued to come in, including from a fourth who blasted: “It’s a great shame that there is no coverage on #BBCBreakfast why the police was initially called to the scene of events at #ManchesterAirport. Difficult not to see bias.”
And a fifth switched off altogether: “BBC news you are a disgrace. I’ve just turned you off.
“All I’ve heard is about the man who was kicked in the head and you showing the clip over and over again. You really are trying to stir things up. What about the injured police officers…” (sic)
GB News has contacted the BBC for comment on the backlash.