Two arrests were made following the violent protest that erupted in Southampton on Tuesday over the police handling of the Henry Nowak murder case, the Home Secretary has confirmed. Speaking to Times Radio, Shabana Mahmood said one person had been detained on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and another for possession of a weapon she described as something “we can’t allow”. The arrests came as demonstrators hurled bins, chairs and other objects at officers, with riot police deployed and a police helicopter circling overhead.
The Home Secretary’s remarks came as she stressed the importance of heeding the wishes of the Nowak family, who have publicly urged the public not to use the teenager’s death to create further division, hatred or tension. “The family said this, and we have to take our lead from them, and they have acted with such dignity,” Mahmood said. “They have said we do not want to create further division, hatred, or tension, and I think we need to respect that.” She condemned the violence seen on the streets of Southampton as “completely unacceptable” and accused those involved of “hijacking this tragedy”.
Family’s plea for calm amid far-right presence
The Nowak family’s call for restraint carries particular weight given the presence of high-profile far-right figures at the protest, including Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and Laurence Fox. Both were seen among crowds that gathered in response to the case of Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old British-Polish university student who was fatally stabbed five times with a dagger in Southampton on December 3 last year. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The court heard that Digwa used a ceremonial dagger with a 21cm blade, described by the judge as a “large Sikh dagger” or kirpan.
During the trial it emerged that Digwa had falsely claimed to police that Nowak racially abused him, called him a slur and knocked off his turban — allegations the court found to be baseless and fabricated. The killer’s mother, Kiran Kaur, was found guilty of assisting an offender, and the Digwa family later issued an apology for the pain caused to the Nowak family and for bringing the Sikh community into disrepute.
The police response to the stabbing has itself become a major source of controversy. Body-worn camera footage released during the trial shows Nowak repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe — including nine times saying “I’ve been stabbed” — yet officers handcuffed him, with one heard saying, “Don’t think you have, mate.” Nowak died shortly after being handcuffed, before an emergency medical service was called. The response has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is expected to report within three months.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the footage left him “sickened” and raised “serious questions” for the police. Home Secretary Mahmood described the killing as an “act of pure evil” and the footage of Nowak being handcuffed as “disturbing and tragic”. She also warned of a “dangerous undercurrent” of misinformation and inflammatory commentary, noting that some officers had received death threats — with one unrelated officer forced to relocate for his safety.
The case has been seized on by figures including Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, who called for a response of “pure, cold rage”, and US hard-right commentator Elon Musk, who promoted a narrative of “two-tier policing” — the suggestion that accusations of racism are prioritised over violent crime. Farage has argued that Digwa’s false claims of racial abuse were treated more seriously than the act of murder. Academics have meanwhile highlighted that the 21cm ceremonial blade used in the killing is distinct from a smaller symbolic kirpan, raising questions about knife laws and the carrying of religious or ceremonial blades in the UK.
Despite the political exploitation of the case, the Nowak family’s stance has remained consistent. Mark Nowak, the victim’s father, has called for transparency and for his son’s death not to be used to fuel division. The Home Secretary’s insistence that the country must respect that plea — and not allow the tragedy to be hijacked by those seeking to stir hatred — reflects the delicate balance authorities face as they await the outcome of the IOPC investigation and seek to contain the fallout from Tuesday’s unrest.
