Sikh leaders call for harmony after violent protests over murder

Sikh leaders call for harmony in wake of unrest

Leaders in Southampton's Sikh community have called for "peace and harmony" following violent protests over the murder of Henry Nowak.

Multiple police officers were left injured following clashes with demonstrators on Tuesday evening near the home of Nowak's killer, Vickrum Digwa, in the Portswood area.

The Council of Southampton Gurdwaras - which represents the city's Sikh community - condemned Digwa's actions but said violence on the streets should never be tolerated.

Digwa stabbed Nowak, 18, with a blade he said he carried for religious reasons, then lied to police at the scene, falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack, leading officers to arrest Nowak instead of his killer.

The 23-year-old was jailed for life with a minimum 21-year term on Monday.

Tuesday's unrest came amid scrutiny over why officers arrested Nowak as he lay dying.

Demonstrators marched from Southampton Central Police Station to the Portswood area, where chairs, cans and flares were thrown at officers in riot gear, forcing them and three police vans to retreat.

Pritheepal Singh, from the Council of Southampton Gurdwaras, said the community stood firmly with the Nowak family.

"The scenes I've seen are horrific and it has caused a lot of community tension," he said. "We really would like to see peace and harmony within our Southampton communities and beyond."

Harjap Singh, a former chair of the council and a community leader, said he had never witnessed an incident in which so much focus had been placed on the Sikh community.

Commenting on the blade used in the killing, which has sparked a debate on knife laws, he said: "To use the kirpan as a weapon to attack people - that's not the Sikh philosophy."

He emphasised the community's role in British history and contribution to both World Wars.

"Sikhs do respect every community and they always respect community relations. They go out of their way to maintain that respect, not just for themselves, for everybody else."

He added: "Our sympathy, our support, our respect is with the family. We hope it never happens to anyone again."

The Bishop of Southampton, Rhiannon King, visited the Sikh community on Wednesday alongside colleagues from the Church of England and the Southampton Council of Faiths to show solidarity.

"What happened back in December is a one-off knife crime - a horrific thing. It doesn't reflect and it shouldn't reflect badly at all on the Sikh community," she said.

She described the protests as "absolutely horrific" and said violence could never correct violence.

"What you saw last night is not Southampton," she said. "Southampton is an amazing place full of amazing people and we have a reputation for centuries of welcoming people from all over the world and living very comfortably together."