The family at the centre of the Manchester Airport police controversy have made an appeal for calm after a video appeared to show a man being kicked on the floor by an officer.
Rochdale Labour MP Paul Waugh told BBC Breakfast: “They have got no political agenda whatsoever.
“They are not going to attend any of these protests and they wanted me to issue an appeal for calm among all different types of communities in Rochdale.
“We have a history of unfortunate division in our town and we do not want to go back to those days.
“Their agenda is simply to find justice after this incident.”
He added: “More importantly, they are acutely aware there are extremists from 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.”
But he also said they were "traumatised."
He said: “It’s clear from talking to them that they are traumatised. Lots of people saw that video clip and they are distressed by it.
“The police themselves said it was a distressing clip but just imagine if that was your brother or your son in that clip; you can imagine how distraught they are.
“The two priorities of the family is first, the health and the wellbeing of their family – healing and getting better.
“The second priority, is justice and the need for justice not just to be done but seen to be done.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article