This is the terrifying moment a thug pulls out a huge ‘machete’ and tries to hack a man during a ‘targeted attack’ in Manchester city centre.
At 6.15pm on Wednesday 19 April police were called to Corporation Street near Exchange Square after reports of two men, one of which armed with a weapon ‘believed to be a large knife’, were fighting in broad daylight.
One man received minor injuries. Greater Manchester Police are yet to make any arrests but have said an investigation is underway.
The shocking exchange can be seen exclusively from this angle with MailOnline, which shows how the fight was in full view of the public at the particularly busy time for commuters in the city.
Both men appear to be squaring up to each other and shouting as they await the first person to strike.
This is the terrifying moment a thug pulls out a huge ‘machete’ and tries to hack a man during a ‘targeted attack’ in Manchester city centre
At 6.15pm on Wednesday 19 April police were called to Corporation Street near Exchange Square after reports of two men, one of which armed with a weapon ‘believed to be a large knife’, were fighting in broad daylight. One man received minor injuries
One was dressed in a dark grey zip-up hoodie and jogging bottoms, and the other wore a navy jacket with black tracksuit bottoms which had white stripes on.
The man in grey backs up at first as the man in striped bottoms swings the ‘machete’ while holding it in his right hand.
As the weapon-wielder turns his back and walks in the other direction, the man in grey then runs after him – only to have the large knife swung at him.
The individual holding the ‘machete’ takes aim at the other, who fell to the floor, leaving onlookers in disbelief, with screams heard in the background of MailOnline’s footage.
MailOnline contacted Greater Manchester Police for comment but said there were no updates in regards to the incident as of Thursday morning.
Inspector Richard Flanagan of GMP Central division said of the incident: ‘This happened in a busy part of Manchester city centre in broad daylight.
‘People will have been walking past, or commuting on the Metrolink, and I urge anyone who might have witnessed this incident to please come forward and share any information or CCTV or mobile footage with police.
‘No matter how small you think the information may be, it could prove vital to the investigation.
‘I understand there was a large police presence in the city centre in response to this incident, but I’d like to reassure the public that this is believed to be a targeted attack, with no threat to the wider public.’
Information can be shared by calling police on 101 quoting 2938 of 19/4/23.
It comes after a proposed Home Office plan could see kitchen knives seized from the homes of suspected criminals.
One was dressed in a dark grey zip-up hoodie and jogging bottoms, and the other wore a navy jacket with black tracksuit bottoms which had white stripes on
The man in grey backs up at first as the man in striped bottoms swings the ‘machete’ while holding it in his right hand
As the weapon-wielder turns his back and walks in the other direction, the man in grey then runs after him – only to have the large knife swung at him
The individual holding the ‘machete’ takes aim at the other, who fell to the floor, leaving onlookers in disbelief, with screams heard in the background of MailOnline’s footage
The man in grey loses his footing and stumbles to the floor while the other takes the opportunity to swing with the large knife
Inspector Richard Flanagan of GMP Central division said of the incident: ‘This happened in a busy part of Manchester city centre in broad daylight’
Police will be consulted by ministers to allow them extra powers to ‘seize, retain and destroy bladed articles’ kept in private, even if the knives are ‘not on the Home Office’s banned list of weapons’.
According to The Telegraph, the move is one of numerous measures created to harden up sentences for selling, importing and possessing knives.
The Ben Kinsella Trust noted an 11 per cent increase in knife crime in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2022, with police recording 50,434 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument during that period.
A total of 20 knives and similar weapons are banned in the UK, including belt buckle knives, push daggers, spiral knives, butterfly knives, swords and stealth knives.
Ministers have pointed out that police have their hands tied when raiding suspected criminal’s homes if they come across weapons that are not on the banned list, including machetes.
Officers are not allowed to seize weapons if they are not banned, even if they are suspected to have been used in crimes.
Machetes are set to be outlawed under plans to be announced by ministers in recent days.
It comes after a proposed Home Office plan could see kitchen knives seized from the homes of suspected criminals
The shocking exchange can be seen exclusively from this angle with MailOnline, which shows how the fight was in full view of the public at the particularly busy time for commuters in the city
Sales of the long-bladed weapons will be banned except for legitimate use, such as gardening and outdoor pursuits.
A consultation paper, published by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, suggests the maximum jail term for selling, importing or manufacturing prohibited blades should be increased from six months to two years.
It also sets out proposals to increase the penalties for possessing the weapons.
Changes will ban a wider range of ‘zombie’ knives, which were made illegal in 2016.
