More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside Southampton police station this evening after footage of Henry Nowak’s arrest sparked backlash against the force.
Sir Keir Starmer said the bodycam footage of Mr Nowak, 18, in handcuffs after being brutally knifed by Vickrum Digwa last December made him ‘feel sick’.
It showed the teenager desperately telling officers four times, ‘I’ve been stabbed’, to which one policeman replied: ‘I don’t think you have mate.’
Mr Nowak would succumb to his stab wounds a short time later, and the footage – released last night after Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years – has since sparked fury.
In a video posted to social media on Tuesday, activist Tommy Robinson described it as ‘horrific’ while calling on supporters to attend a protest outside Southampton police station this evening.
And demonstrators arrived in their numbers, with clips shared online showing crowds flying Union Jack flags descending upon the station just before 6pm.
Some held placards reading ‘Save our kids’ as others paraded pictures of Mr Nowak while repeatedly chanting: ‘I can’t breathe.’
Footage also appeared to show furious demonstrators trying to storm the station while directing shouts of ‘shame on you’ at dozens of officers forming a blockade.
Meanwhile some protesters donned T-shirts paying tribute to the teen reading: ‘RIP Henry Nowak.’
Hundreds of protesters have descended upon Southampton police station over the footage of Henry Nowak’s arrest
Furious marchers are seen throwing drinks at a police car outside Portswood station
One incident saw crowds hurl a flair at officers before others stormed at them while shouting: ‘Justice for Henry’
It came after activist Tommy Robinson (pictured) announced he would be in attendance in a video posted to social media
Mr Nowak was a finance student at the University of Southampton and was described as ‘kind and talented’ by his family
The group later marched in their swathes from Southampton to Portswood station, where chaos ensued as protestors hurled bins and bottles at police officers wearing protective gear.
Around a dozen officers were verbally abused and had missiles thrown at them as they retreated away from the crowds.
One incident saw crowds hurl a flare at policemen before others stormed at them while shouting: ‘Justice for Henry’.
Outside St Deny’s Road – where Mr Nowak was killed – protestors took the knee in front of a police blockade.
One marcher, Jamie Smith, said: ‘I am here for Henry. I saw the video online when he was handcuffed and dragged on the floor after being stabbed and I want police to be held accountable.
‘It angers me seeing them stood there in uniform. We don’t want trouble but emotions are high.’
An elderly woman said: ‘It just scary that this sort of thing happens on our doorsteps.
‘The police should be held accountable for it. The boy was dying and they did nothing to help him.’
Meanwhile Rebekah Warne fumed: ‘I’m here because I fear for the safety of my child. He’s 10 and I worry for his future. He’ll be 20 in 10 years and he’ll have to defend himself.
‘The streets scare me now as a woman. I can protect myself but it scares me for my son. Something needs to change.’
The march came after it emerged that an officer at Hampshire Police involved in the case had resigned from his post, the force confirmed.
Three of the officers are still serving while all four are being treated as witnesses in an investigation being carried out by a police watchdog.
Sikh killer Digwa, who did not know his victim, was yesterday jailed for life for stabbing the student with an eight-inch ceremonial blade he had been carrying.
At the scene, Digwa told a ‘wicked lie’ to officers that Mr Nowak had racially abused him and knocked off his turban.
During a hearing, Judge William Mousley KC said he was ‘sure’ this was not the case.
In a statement released today, the PM warned police have to face ‘serious questions’ over their treatment of the teen before adding ‘it is absolutely right’ that the watchdog is investigating how officers handled the case.
A different police officer previously received death threats and was ‘forced to relocate’ after being wrongly identified online as being involved in the murder case, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said today.
Giving a statement in the House of Commons, Ms Mahmood warned of a ‘dangerous undercurrent’ of threats against the police.
She continued: ‘Threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable. There can be no justification for intimidation, abuse or attempts to take the law into one’s own hands.
Crowds of more than 1,000 began a march through the centre of Southampton while chanting ‘I can’t breathe’
One protester was seen hurling a wheelie bin at police officers
Others threw bottles and storage containers at dozens of officers
Marchers carried banners reading ‘Save our kids’ while others paraded Union Jacks with the words ‘Unite the Kingdom’
Within an hour the size of the crowd grew to hundreds
And footage appeared to show protestors trying to storm the station as officers formed a blockade outside
‘A police officer unrelated to this case has been misidentified online and subjected to death threats. He has been forced to relocate to protect himself and his family.
‘Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse. We must all, together, condemn it.’
She added that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will report on the case within three months.
Digwa is now facing additional charges of owning six offensive weapons while his brother, 27-year-old Gurpreet Digwa, and his father, 52-year-old Moga Singh, have also been charged with possessing illegal weapons at the family home.
They appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday along with Vickrum and were released on unconditional bail. Vickrum is now in prison.
His mother, Kiran Kaur, awaits sentencing for assisting an offender by taking the knife used to kill the 18-year-old back to the nearby family home.
The 53-year-old will be sentenced on July 17.
Reflecting on the horrifying murder, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Nowak was ‘treated in a way that meant an accusation of a racial slur was treated more seriously than an act of murder’.
Mr Farage called for ‘pure cold rage’ over the case, which has also been widely criticised after he claimed it suggests a ‘two-tier’ approach to policing in the UK.
Mr Nowak’s father Mark, speaking after Digwa was sentenced on Monday, said: ‘We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.’
Earlier, a spokesperson for Hampshire Police Federation said: ‘The murder of Henry Nowak was a tragedy, our thoughts are with his family and friends.
‘The officers’ actions that night are subject to rigorous independent scrutiny and we must let that process run its course.
‘The Police Federation condemns in the strongest possible terms the calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers we have seen in recent days.
‘That has included police officers being wrongly identified as being involved in the incident and personal details such as home address being widely published.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was yesterday jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years for the killing of Mr Nowak
‘We call on politicians of all parties and media commentators to be more responsible in their comments – and allow due process for the officers involved to ensue.
‘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.’
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has apologised for arresting Mr Nowak minutes before his death.
IOPC Director Derrick Campbell said today: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies remain with everyone affected by Henry Nowak’s tragic death.
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BREAKING NEWS Protesters clash with police as more than 1,000 take to the streets over Henry Nowak’s death
‘Our independent investigation into the contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers had with Mr Nowak immediately prior to his death on 4 December, including the use of handcuffs by officers and the first aid provided, remains ongoing.
‘Our investigation began following a mandatory referral from the force, which we received the same day.
‘We acknowledge that this case has raised questions about the actions of the attending officers and we are aware that a few minutes of police body worn footage has been issued by the force following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
‘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.
‘Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, we are planning to meet with Mr Nowak’s family and provide them with updates about our investigation.
‘The officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses, however as with all investigations, this is kept under review throughout.’
