In Southampton tonight, over a thousand demonstrators clashed with police following the arrest of Henry Nowak, a murdered adolescent.
Just before six o’clock this evening, protesters showed up outside Southampton police with banners that said “Save Our Kids” and sang “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.”
It happened the day after police body camera footage surfaced showing innocent 18-year-old Mr. Nowak being taken into custody while pleading with them to summon an ambulance after being stabbed six times by “knife-obsessed” Sikh stranger Vickrum Digwa.
Digwa, 23, said to the first officers on the scene that Mr. Nowak assaulted him, used racist epithets, and knocked off his turban. Digwa did not know the adolescent before hitting him.
Then, while the wounded student lay dying on the ground, drowned in his own blood, he was taken into custody.
Before the cops ordered him to put his hands in handcuffs, he cried out, “I can’t breathe,” more than seven times as he begged for assistance.
One male officer said, “I don’t think you have mate,” in response to the teen’s statement, “I’ve been stabbed.” Soon after, he passed away.
More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered in Southampton this evening as a result of the arrest’s footage, which was made public last night. Many of them engaged in violent altercations with the police.
Following a protest in Southampton tonight, police officers appear to be attacked by protesters outside Portswood Police Station.
During tonight’s protest, Portesters threw trash cans at police officers, which led to violent altercations between protesters and authorities.
Innocent victim Henry Nowak, 18, was brutally stabbed by a knife-obsessed Sikh guy, and police bodycam footage shows cops putting him in handcuffs.
Police witness murderer Vickrum Digwa (shown) lie to them as he claims that teenage Henry Nowak tore off his turban in a racist attack.
Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old finance student at the University of Southampton, was characterized by his family as “kind and talented.”
Due to the video of Mr. Nowak’s detention, hundreds of demonstrators flocked to the Southampton police station this evening.
While some marched Union Jacks with the words “Unite the Kingdom,” others carried placards that read “Save our kids.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced today that another officer was “forced to relocate” after receiving death threats and being mistakenly identified online as being connected to the case.
Ms. Mahmood informed the House of Commons this afternoon that the officer had to go for his family’s safety and protection.
Digwa stabbed Mr. Nowak six times with a religious sword he was carrying yesterday, earning him a life sentence with a minimum sentence of 21 years.
Since then, more than 1,000 demonstrators have assembled outside the Southampton police station in response to the global outcry caused by recently released film of Mr. Nowak’s detention.
Just before 6 p.m. today, throngs holding Union Jacks descended into the station, as shown in videos posted online. Demonstrators arrived with banners and images.
Some displayed images of Mr. Nowak with the slogan, “I can’t breathe,” while others carried signs that read, “Save our kids.”
Officers formed a barrier outside the station as part of a massive police presence.
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson called on supporters to attend the rally and called the bodycam footage “horrific” in a video that was shared on social media.
As comments were given to the audience, Robinson, UKIP leader Nick Tenconi, and right-wing pundit Laurence Fox were among those who stood at the station’s steps.
While Robinson stated in his address that “white people are treated like second rate citizens,” the Lord’s prayer was recited twice.
Hundreds of people chanted, “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” in allusion to what Mr. Nowak told police while he lay dying on the ground.
“Hampshire police must sack and arrest the arresting officers. They must publicly take the knee for Henry Nowak,” UKIP leader Tenconi declared in front of the throng.
When Robinson took the microphone to speak, he was met with thunderous ovation.”Our government treats white people like second-class citizens,” he claimed.
Following Digwa’s sentencing yesterday, people demonstrate in front of the Southampton police station this evening.
Digwa’s eight-inch ceremonial dagger is seen in a photograph released by the Crown Prosecution Service.
While police established a barrier outside the station, footage seemed to show protesters attempting to storm inside.
Digwa’s father, Moga Singh (left), tried to cover his face when he and his son, Gurpreet Digwa (right), appeared before Southampton Magistrates’ Court today. “White privilege? When Henry was on the floor, did he appear to have white privilege?
Kulwinder Singh, a 47-year-old Sikh cab driver from Southampton, applauded the demonstration and its participants.
“I welcome them because I am a member of the Sikh faith,” he declared. They are my sisters and brothers. They are welcome at the Gurdwara [Sikh temple], therefore I’m not at all concerned.
It has nothing to do with faith. We ought to keep people together. As the demonstrators marched, Mr. Singh shook hands with them.
Southampton resident Jamie Smith declared, “I am here for Henry. I want the police to be held accountable after watching the video online of him being handcuffed and dragged on the floor after being stabbed.”
Glass bottles were thrown at police cars at the neighboring Portswood Police Station.
Later this evening, demonstrators threw wheelie bins at riot squad police officers and pursued them.
Beer cans and other objects were thrown at about a dozen officers, who also endured verbal abuse.
As they charged at the officers, protesters pushed the roadblock back 20 meters.
Rebekah Warne, an activist, stated: “I’m here because I fear for my child’s safety. He’s ten and I worry about his future.” He will have to protect himself when he is 20 in ten years. “As a woman, the streets scare me now.” I can defend myself, but I’m afraid for my son. There must be a change.
The video of Mr. Nowak’s arrest, according to Sir Keir Starmer, made him “feel sick” and cautioned that the police had “serious questions” about how they treated the teenager. He also stated that it is “absolutely right” that the police watchdog is looking into how the officers handled the matter.
Ms. Mahmood issued a warning about a “dangerous undercurrent” of threats against the police earlier today during a speech in the House of Commons.
“Threats against police officers are absolutely unacceptable,” she went on. Intimidation, abuse, and attempts to enforce the law on one’s own are all unacceptable.
“Online, a police officer who has nothing to do with this case has been misidentified and threatened with death.” In order to keep himself and his family safe, he had to move. “Misinformation and inflammatory commentary are making a terrible situation even worse.” Together, we must denounce it.
The IOPC will report on the case in three months, she continued.
“We know there has been significant commentary following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa yesterday afternoon, and we recognise the desire for answers about the police response that night,” the Hampshire Constabulary said in a statement tonight. “What we cannot accept is the significant spread of misinformation online by those intent to cause further fear and division by making threats to officers and sharing names that are simply not true.”
Due to the video of Henry Nowak’s arrest, protesters have flocked to the Southampton police station.
Later, protesters chanted “I can’t breathe” as they marched through the heart of Southampton.
In response to criticism of the case, the Hampshire Police Federation also demanded a stop to “mob or vigilante justice against officers.”
In footage made public last night, officers are shown dragging Mr. Nowak around the ground while he cries out for assistance and tells them he is having trouble breathing at least seven times before being placed in handcuffs.
Southampton Crown Court heard that the student drowned in his own blood soon after being wrongfully arrested.
The UK Sikh Federation emphasized after the case that the blade did not match the Kirpan, a short, curved blade that many Sikhs carry near to their bodies. They are allowed to carry the weapon for religious purposes, but if it is used in an aggressive conduct, it is considered an offensive weapon.
Judge William Mousley KC declared that he was “sure” that Mr. Nowak never made any racial remarks to the killer.
Mr. Nowak was “treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder,” according to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
He claimed that as Mr. Nowak lay dying in handcuffs on a sidewalk, the last sound he heard was officers reading him his rights.
Mr. Farage called for “pure cold rage” over the case, which has drawn a lot of criticism since he said it implies a “two tier” approach to UK policing.
“We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred, or tension,” Mr. Nowak’s father Mark stated following Digwa’s sentencing on Monday.
“The murder of Henry Nowak was a tragedy, our thoughts are with his family and friends,” a Hampshire Police Federation representative had earlier stated.We must allow the rigorous independent scrutiny of the officers’ actions that evening to proceed.The calls for mob or vigilante justice against police officers that we have witnessed in recent days are strongly condemned by the Police Federation. “This has included police officers being wrongly identified as being involved in the incident and personal details like home address being widely published.”We urge media pundits and politicians of all parties to be more circumspect in their remarks and to provide the involved officers due process.
“As a staff association we are supporting all Hampshire Police officers and we urge all our members to take appropriate action online and offline to stay safe,” Digwa (pictured) told police on the scene that Mr. Nowak had been attacked rather than stabbed.
The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has expressed regret for detaining Mr. Nowak just minutes before he passed away.
It follows Sir Keir’s declaration to the Cabinet that an inquiry of the police response has to be conducted “as quickly as possible.”
According to the prime minister’s official spokesperson, he honored Mr. Nowak, a “kind, thoughtful, and much-loved” man whose life was “ripped away in the most appalling circumstances.”
“Our thoughts and sympathies remain with everyone affected by Henry Nowak’s tragic death,” stated IOPC Director Derrick Campbell today.We are still conducting an independent inquiry into the interactions Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers had with Mr. Nowak just before his death on December 4th, including the officers’ use of handcuffs and the first assistance they administered.On the same day, we received an obligatory reference from the force, which prompted us to start our inquiry.As part of our ongoing investigation, we are reviewing a large amount of police body-worn footage, which we need to consider in context with other evidence we have obtained, including reviewing material presented during the murder trial as we establish the full circumstances. We acknowledge that this case has raised questions about the actions of the attending officers, and we are aware that the force released a few minutes of footage after the criminal proceedings were concluded.
We intend to visit with Mr. Nowak’s family to give them an update on our inquiry now that the criminal proceedings are over.
“As with all investigations, this is kept under review throughout, but the officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses.”
