Southampton erupted into disorder as protesters hurled bricks and other missiles at police near the site where an 18-year-old student was handcuffed while dying after being stabbed — an episode now under intense public scrutiny.
Henry Nowak was attacked on 3 December 2025 by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, who told police at the time that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
Body-worn camera footage from the night captures Mr Nowak repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed”.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station yesterday, with far-right activist Tommy Robinson among those who addressed the crowd.
Tensions escalated after a large group crossed town to Portswood. As demonstrators chanted “Henry, Henry”, clashes broke out and police lines were pelted with bricks.
Watch: Protesters clash with police in Southampton
Officers in riot gear came under a barrage of chairs, cans and flares, and were eventually forced to retreat, along with three police vans, from the position they had been holding.
Hundreds of people attended a protest in Southampton over the police handling of the case
British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood later denounced the violence in Portswood as “completely unacceptable”, saying demonstrators were “hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder” despite a plea from Mr Nowak’s family not to let the murder be used to fuel division and hatred.
The confrontations unfolded against a backdrop of growing anger — and official scrutiny — over how officers handled the incident, including the decision to arrest and handcuff Mr Nowak as he lay dying.
“The Nowak family made a powerful call to us all yesterday to not let Henry’s death be used to create further division, hatred or tension,” Ms Mahmood said.
“There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder. Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law,” she added.
“I thank the police who have… shown great bravery and calm in the face of disgraceful violence directed at them,” she said.
Digwa was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years in prison for stabbing Mr Howak with a ceremonial knife, which he carried as part of his Sikh religion.
Henry Nowak was handcuffed by police as he lay dying after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa
He had previously been investigated by police in 2023 on suspicion of stealing ceremonial blades from a Sikh temple in Southampton but no further action was taken.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said it would review its anti-racism guidance — known as the Race Action Plan — which some critics have blamed for the actions of the officers who arrested Mr Nowak.
“We are listening to legitimate concerns about how some of these commitments are worded or phrased, and where needed we can and will make changes, but this should not detract from the intent, which is to improve the quality of policing,” NPCC chairman Gavin Stephens said.
Hampshire Police confirmed that one officer involved has resigned, while the other three remain in service. All are being treated as witnesses.
Watch: Bodycam footage shows police handcuffing Henry Nowak
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he “felt sick” after watching the “harrowing” footage of Mr Nowak being handcuffed and said there are “serious questions” to be answered about the case.
He added that there must be an examination of how “accusations of racism” shaped police decision-making during the incident.
The police watchdog is expected to publish its report within the next three months.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said investigators are reviewing a large volume of body-worn video as well as material presented during Digwa’s trial.
Mr Nowak’s father Mark Nowak, speaking after Digwa was sentenced on Monday, said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.”
However, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said people should respond with “pure cold rage” to how Mr Nowak was treated, describing it as evidence of a “two-tier culture”.
Mr Nowak was “actually treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder,” Mr Farage said.
Earlier yesterday, Hampshire Police said an officer not connected to the case has received death threats after being wrongly identified in online posts.
In a post on X, the force said: “We recognise the desire for answers about the police response that night” and warned against “harmful online speculation”.
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