Protests Erupt in Southampton Over Student's Murder and Police Conduct

Hundreds of people have gathered in Southampton to protest the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak and his treatment by the police in his final minutes. The protesters initially gathered outside the city center police station before moving closer to the home of his killer, Vickrum Singh Digwa.

The rally on Tuesday followed the release of police bodycam footage showing officers handcuffing the stabbing victim while ignoring his pleas for help after his murderer falsely accused the student of carrying out a racist attack. The footage revived debate over claims of unequal police treatment of different ethnic groups, also known as “two-tier policing,” and sparked a nationwide outrage.

The rally on Tuesday followed the release of police bodycam footage showing officers handcuffing the stabbing victim and failing to respond to his pleas for help after the suspect falsely accused him of carrying out a racist attack. The footage revived debate over claims of unequal police treatment of different ethnic groups – often described by critics as “two-tier policing” – and prompted widespread public anger.

The rally participants chanted Nowak’s name and “I can’t breathe” – the words he was saying while being arrested. Activist Tommy Robinson joined the protest, telling the crowd that the case was “about race.”

At some point, violence erupted. Videos that surfaced on social media showed the crowd pelting the riot police with various objects. Chairs, cans, flares, bricks, bins and an e-scooter were reportedly thrown at the officers, forcing them to retreat from some areas.

The police responded by pushing back, including by hitting the protesters with riot shields. Eleven police officers as well as a police dog were injured in the clashes, according to reports. Two people were arrested over the incidents, with the police saying that the number of arrests will increase as they were reviewing footage from the scene.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the violence at the protest by calling it “disgraceful and completely unacceptable.” He also criticized Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for what he called an “unforgivable” response to Nowak’s murder. Farage had earlier called on the British public to respond to the incident with “pure, cold rage” and called it a proof of the “two-tier culture.”

Hampshire police chief, Alexis Boon, told the BBC that “we, as a society, cannot accept … the violent scenes” seen at the protests. He accused some of the protesters of seeking to cause “disorder and trouble” while denying allegations of two-tier policing.