GMP internal affairs investigates complaints about cops who turned people away from Manchester

The internal affairs department of Greater Manchester Police is investigating a series of complaints about officers who were part of the operation to turn people away from Manchester last weekend - including young members of Traveller communities - the Manchester Evening News understands.

It comes after Traveller organisations said members of their communities had been targeted. One of the complaints is about the conduct of officers who arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of assault. It came after he reportedly complained why he and others were being refused entry to the Arndale.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer has offered to meet with members of The Traveller Movement, a campaigning charity, next week after it outlined its complaints to deputy mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green at her offices on Tuesday afternoon (November 26). She outlined concerns to a senior GMP officer in a separate meeting the following day.

READ MORE: What really happened in town that Saturday afternoon

A spokeswoman for The Traveller Movement said Ms Green took no questions but made a note of the concerns raised. The M.E.N. understands GMP bosses stand by their decision to sanction a 'dispersal order' giving officers on the ground powers to order people to leave the city centre and to arrest those who refused.

Police have said when they signed the order they were acting on reports that groups of people were en route to Manchester on trains 'causing antisocial behaviour'.

It is understood GMP has replied to a letter to Chief Constable Stephen Watson signed by leaders of 20 groups and organisations including Friends, Families and Travellers; Irish Community Care Manchester; and the organisers of the Appleby Horse Fair.

The letter called for an apology and a 'full investigation' into the weekend's 'utterly deplorable' events. They accuse the force of 'racial profiling, over-policing and violent restraint of Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller children' saying it was 'not an isolated event, but a clear example of structural racism'.

It is understood, in its reply, the force says it has to act on reports of possible violence, but that it welcomed the scrutiny it was being subjected to in order to address the concerns of Traveller communities. The reply confirmed a report was being prepared for the mayor's office.

It has been confirmed GMP's Professional Standards Directorate is assessing a series of complaints about Saturday's operation and that action will be taken if necessary.

Video footage emerged at the weekend of a large number of children, apparently prevented from attending the Christmas markets, walking down a staircase to a platform at Manchester Victoria railway station lined by police. They were then put on trains.

In one clip, a young man could be heard shouting 'I don't know where I am going' as he was pushed on board a train. Another youngster - a girl aged 13 and from Doncaster - ended up more than 100 miles away from Manchester in Grimsby after she was put on a train.