Cultural sensitivities must not stand in the way of justice

The lesson we must learn from the Manchester Airport incident is that no one, regardless of religion or race, should get special treatment

As Churchill famously observed, a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. In the case of the shocking incident at Manchester’s Terminal 2 this summer, the story that spread like wildfire wasn’t a total falsehood, but it turned out to be a very partial account indeed.
So much has happened since the fateful events of July 23 that it is worth briefly reprising what we now know. This much is undisputed: a row between the mother of two Muslim youths and another passenger on a Qatar Airways flight led to an altercation on her arrival in the UK. It involved her two sons and an unknown member of the public. Police were called, and violence broke out between the brothers and the officers.
Within hours, someone released sensational video footage of the police kicking and pummelling the youths as they were restrained. The images sparked international outrage. To all the world, it looked like the UK’s George Floyd moment. The officers were accused of outrageous brutality and instantly suspended. Everyone from the Prime Minister to the Home Secretary to the Mayor of Manchester piled in to condemn what appeared to be a totally unwarranted use of force.
So far, so straightforward – except like so many things that blow up on social media, it wasn’t. A few days later, CCTV footage of what happened earlier put an altogether different complexion on events.
It turns out that the young Muslims were not randomly set upon by violent racist officers. So far from being the victims, it looks very much as if they were the aggressors – unleashing a frenzied attack on three officers. Such was the violence of the assault that a female police officer was left with a broken nose.
Neither the youths nor their lawyer have disputed the authenticity of this second shocking set of images. As such, it appears to show them committing a very serious crime indeed. Given the swift justice meted out to rioters this summer, the public might expect the pair to be facing justice. After all, many so-called “Right wing thugs” were given lengthy jail sentences for non violent disorder this summer. Instead, the young men remain on bail. 
As for the police officers? They face ruin. Their reputations have been dragged through the mud; they are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Complaints (IOPC) and their “victims” are pushing for them to face criminal charges.
What an utter disgrace! Was there ever a more blatant illustration of two tier justice? 
In common with all civilised countries, ordinarily, our criminal justice system rightly treats attacks on police officers particularly seriously. That anyone should be able to behave in this way and not face the full force of the law beggars belief. 
Given the CCTV evidence, what explanation could there be for the reluctance of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bring charges, other than the sensitivities thrown up by the assailants’ religion and ethnicity, and outcry over the way they were restrained? If there is another explanation, we have yet to hear it. No wonder supporters of the two officers, who (11 weeks after awful events) remain suspended from duty, fear they are about to be hung out to dry. Within police ranks, there must be mounting suspicion that the CPS is waiting for the IOPC to find fault with their conduct.
Understandably, there is also deepening disquiet over the failure to release the full CCTV footage right from the start. As a result, a wholly misleading narrative set in. Greater Manchester Police could easily have provided this vital context immediately. It looks as though it is easier to cover it up?
While the Prime Minister and Home Secretary continue to rubbish allegations of two tier justice, this case remains a running sore. Until charges are brought, voters are entitled to express concern that certain demographics in this country – namely ethnic and religious minorities – appear to benefit from special treatment.
Perhaps this new government doesn’t care? If so, the British public now has a way to help right the wrong, by supporting a private prosecution. If the CPS is too spineless to act, others will just have to lead the way.