Henry Nowak’s death has shocked the UK. So why is Labour keeping so quiet about it?
During a night out in Southampton last December, the 18-year-old university student got into an altercation with a Sikh man named Vickrum Digwa. Over the course of this encounter, Digwa fatally stabbed Nowak five times with his kirpan, a ceremonial knife that Sikhs are legally allowed to carry in the UK.
Naturally, the police were called and arrived swiftly on the scene. But instead of arresting Digwa, they handcuffed the bleeding and fatally wounded Nowak. Digwa told the police that Nowak had used a racial slur towards him, had punched him, and had knocked his turban off his head. During Digwa’s trial last month, the prosecution called this account a “wicked lie” and Digwa was ultimately convicted of murder. But at the time, police simply took Digwa at his word. Nowak died an hour later from his injuries.
Hampshire Police have since apologised for their treatment of Nowak, but sorry is nowhere near good enough. And they are still yet to publish the bodycam footage of Nowak’s arrest. Reform UK’s Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has written to the Chief Constable of Hampshire Police, demanding its immediate release. The British people deserve to know exactly what happened that night.
Nor have we heard a peep from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, nor Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. So far, only a handful of MPs have mentioned Henry Nowak’s name in the House of Commons, including Reform UK’s Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick and Jen Craft, Nowak’s local Labour MP.
Where is the outcry from the Labour establishment? Not only was a young man murdered, but he was treated as a criminal rather than as a victim.
Compare the response to Nowak’s tragic death to that of George Floyd in the US in 2020 - when Keir Starmer had no qualms about “taking the knee” in response. When Andy Burnham used taxpayer money to light up civic buildings in Manchester in solidarity, and set up a Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel.
Henry Nowak’s case was yet another shocking example of two-tier policing. His death should have sparked a serious debate about this very real problem. Why did police handcuff an injured man on nothing more than accusations of racial harassment? Why were Digwa’s claims of racism taken more seriously than the fact a man was bleeding to death?
Henry Nowak’s friends and family, as well as the British public, are yet to receive any satisfying answers to these questions. Labour’s silence speaks volumes.
During a night out in Southampton last December, the 18-year-old university student got into an altercation with a Sikh man named Vickrum Digwa. Over the course of this encounter, Digwa fatally stabbed Nowak five times with his kirpan, a ceremonial knife that Sikhs are legally allowed to carry in the UK.
Naturally, the police were called and arrived swiftly on the scene. But instead of arresting Digwa, they handcuffed the bleeding and fatally wounded Nowak. Digwa told the police that Nowak had used a racial slur towards him, had punched him, and had knocked his turban off his head. During Digwa’s trial last month, the prosecution called this account a “wicked lie” and Digwa was ultimately convicted of murder. But at the time, police simply took Digwa at his word. Nowak died an hour later from his injuries.
Hampshire Police have since apologised for their treatment of Nowak, but sorry is nowhere near good enough. And they are still yet to publish the bodycam footage of Nowak’s arrest. Reform UK’s Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf has written to the Chief Constable of Hampshire Police, demanding its immediate release. The British people deserve to know exactly what happened that night.
Nor have we heard a peep from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, nor Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. So far, only a handful of MPs have mentioned Henry Nowak’s name in the House of Commons, including Reform UK’s Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick and Jen Craft, Nowak’s local Labour MP.
Where is the outcry from the Labour establishment? Not only was a young man murdered, but he was treated as a criminal rather than as a victim.
Compare the response to Nowak’s tragic death to that of George Floyd in the US in 2020 - when Keir Starmer had no qualms about “taking the knee” in response. When Andy Burnham used taxpayer money to light up civic buildings in Manchester in solidarity, and set up a Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel.
Henry Nowak’s case was yet another shocking example of two-tier policing. His death should have sparked a serious debate about this very real problem. Why did police handcuff an injured man on nothing more than accusations of racial harassment? Why were Digwa’s claims of racism taken more seriously than the fact a man was bleeding to death?
Henry Nowak’s friends and family, as well as the British public, are yet to receive any satisfying answers to these questions. Labour’s silence speaks volumes.
