Cop 'punches Man Utd fan FOUR times on camera'

Footage has emerged of a police officer appearing to punch a football fan amid ugly clashes ahead of Manchester United’s game against Liverpool last night. 

The match was dramatically called off yesterday after anti-Glazer protesters got onto the Old Trafford pitch and clashed with police outside the stadium.

In footage captured outside the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, an officer appears to hit a fan several times as he lies on the ground while being arrested.

In footage captured outside the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, an officer appears to hit a fan several times as he lies on the ground while being arrested

Several officers can be seen dragging one protester away before pinning him to the ground

Video captured by The Mirror shows several officers dragging one protester away before pinning him to the ground. 

One officer tells onlookers to ‘get back’ as his colleagues tell the man arrested to ‘stop resisting.’ 

MailOnline has contacted Greater Manchester Police for comment.  

Fans had tried to blockade the Lowry Hotel to prevent the United team from leaving for the game, leading to further outbreaks of trouble.

Two police officers were hurt in the disorder as they were pelted with bottles, with one sustaining a serous facial injury. 

Two police officers were hurt in the disorder as they were pelted with bottles and responded with a baton charge to break up the mob.

It is the first time a Premier League fixture has been postponed due to a protest, and Greater Manchester Police has now launched an investigation.  

Assistant chief constable Russ Jackson said it was clear many demonstrators had no intention of protesting peacefully as he condemned their ‘reckless and dangerous’ behaviour.

He added: ‘The actions of those today required us to take officers from front-line policing and call in support from neighbouring forces to prevent the disorder getting worse. At different points, bottles and barriers were thrown, officers assaulted and people scaled the stadium structure creating risk for themselves and officers.’

The Red Devils were among 12 clubs that last month signed up for the breakaway European Super League, which collapsed within 48 hours due to huge, unrelenting pressure.

Those plans brought anger against the already despised Glazer family to a new level, with fans congregating at both Old Trafford and the Lowry, the team hotel in the city centre, to demand change ahead of Sunday’s clash with Liverpool.

Police said that by late afternoon around 200 protesters had gathered outside the Lowry and over 1,000 at the stadium.

There was an initial unspecified delay to the scheduled 1630 kick-off before confirmation came through from United at 1735 that the match had been postponed ‘due to safety and security considerations around the protest’.

A club statement read: ‘Our fans are passionate about Manchester United, and we completely acknowledge the right to free expression and peaceful protest.

‘However, we regret the disruption to the team and actions which put other fans, staff, and the police in danger.

‘We thank the police for their support and will assist them in any subsequent investigations.’

The Premier League said it understood the fans’ ‘strength of feeling’, but condemned ‘all acts of violence, criminal damage and trespass, especially given the associated Covid-19 breaches’.

Police attempted to clear the crowds from away from the player entrance and tunnel area at Old Trafford

It added: ‘Fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification.

‘We sympathise with the police and stewards who had to deal with a dangerous situation that should have no place in football. The rearrangement of the fixture will be communicated in due course.’

Liverpool, another founding member of the Super League, said they were in ‘full agreement’ with the postponement. 

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