Police officers who clashed with the families of Moss Side children performing at a talent show will not face any action.
But a probe has concluded that the incident outside the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester city centre led to ‘strained relations’ between police and the community.
Ugly scenes erupted after the end of the show, organised by a voluntary group, in May 2008.
Six people were arrested including Raymond Bell, a leading anti-gun campaigner.
His wife Erinma is a peace activist described by Gordon Brown as a national hero.
She said the violence had set back police community relations in the city by 10 years. No one was ever charged.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission report follows a two-year investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s professional standards branch.
It concludes that there is not enough evidence to back up allegations against police made by 18 complainants.
It says witness statements were conflicting and mobile phone footage was poor and that neither the police accounts, nor those of the complainants, could be proven correct.
The report reveals that trouble began after reports of a gun being fired from a car on the Mancunian Way.
A vehicle matching the description was seen pulling up outside the Bridgewater Hall and police went to investigate.
One of the four men in the car was on bail for alleged firearms offences. Police decided to search the driver and passengers, but as they were doing so, the talent show ended.
The car was not connected to the event but the suspects began to struggle as the audience spilled out and officers were surrounded by more than 100 people. They called for back-up, triggering a major police response.
Skirmishes broke out and a number of officers and members of the public were injured.
The report says police were justified in approaching the car. But it cannot ‘absolve’ individual officers in relation to using excessive force.
Police say that since the incident officers have been working closely with community leaders to keep relationships strong.
One source said: “We must not dwell on the past.
“The police have done great work in tackling gun and gang related crime in south Manchester and this could not have been achieved without the co-operation of the community.”
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Just showed what vermin still exists from Moss Side, the Police dealing with an incident that had nothing to do with the talent show and out come the Moss Side mob from the Hall and kick off with the Police. Moss Side = vermin,
i suppose you had to be there to know what happened, and even then, had to be in the right place etc.
You can't help thinking though, was the trouble started by the outpouring audience 'sticking their noses' into something that had nothing to do with them? ie, have they got giant chips on their shoulders regarding the police?
This is typical of what happens when peace loving do-gooders try to interfere with police buisnesss. The officers found themselves suddenly surrounded by dozens of people trying to get invoved when they were struggling with known violent offenders, the very type that they themselves campaign against! They should have just minded their own buisness and then thousands of taxpayers money wouldnt have been wasted on a waste of time investigation. They also need to place blame on themselves as well, but from the very outset they were holier than thou!
So the people from the concert , who had nothing to do with the people in the car decided to intervene and obstruct the police officers, and Mrs Bell has the cheek to say this has put back police relations back 10 years. well why did your husband and others interfere then.
Police getting the blame again. Its so easy isn't it
To Proper Sentences - Comments like the one you have posted really have no place in any sensible debate about any aspect of life in and around Moss Side. There is a real need to kick the likes of you off forums like this. Your outpourings are nothing but bile and not worthy of print. You know nothing of the events that occurred but are prepared to make personal judgements about sections of our community - shame on you.
So in other words... all those who stuck their noses into matters that didnt concern them where also lying?
Just shows what the cops are up against when the public would rather support those who carry firearms.
What were the cops supposed to do? Take a good kicking off all these fine upstanding 'National Hero's' of the community?
Let me reassure you that if GMP's Professional Standards Branch couldnt find any fault with the officers conduct, then they were fully justified in their actions.
'...Families of Moss Side children', you wail?
Would you use the same sort of description if they came from less clichéd districts of Manchester?