The death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton last December was a deeply distressing case. Bodycam footage showing police handcuffing a dying young man as he repeatedly told officers “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe” has rightly shocked the nation.
The facts of the case are clear: both Henry Nowak and his killer, Vickrum Singh Digwa, were British-born. The killer made a false claim of racial abuse, which appears to have heavily influenced the initial police response. Instead of immediately prioritising medical assistance for a young man with life-threatening stab wounds, officers treated the victim as the aggressor. This was a serious and tragic failing.
The family of Henry Nowak has been clear in their pleas — they do not want their son’s death used to fuel racial division. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the officers’ actions, and Hampshire Police have issued an apology.
American politicians, including JD Vance and President Trump, are of course entitled to express their opinions. However, the formal involvement of the U.S. State Department in what is fundamentally a British policing matter was unnecessary and inappropriate. This was not a case of mass migration, nor was it evidence of deliberate “two-tier policing”. It was a serious operational mistake that cost a young man his life.
This is not “Black Lives Matter” over “White Lives Matter” or any two-tier system of policing. Already the Hampshire Police have referred this to the IOPC and even police officers have resigned after they realised they were being lied to under the guise of racial tension —- as the family of Henry Nowak says, please dont use this as a racial incident. —— Cicero
When someone is critically injured, the priority must always be to preserve life. Everything else — statements, allegations, and investigations — must come second. That basic principle appears to have failed Henry Nowak, and that failure deserves proper scrutiny.
Today the UK Home Office minister, David Lammy, is urging American politicians to be careful of the language they are using. We do not need more riots; the 2011 police riots were disgusting. After the killing of a known criminal, Mark Duggan, was awful, and Broadwater Farm was despicable against the police. The police are trying to build bridges and work with the communities. The UK does not need racial tension, and certainly even though politicians are open to their opinions on social media, the State Department getting involved in UK police work is not helpful.
