Henry Nowak was 18 years old when he was stabbed to death in Southampton last December. As he lay dying on the pavement, police officers handcuffed him – after his killer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist attack. Now, the teenager’s death has become a flashpoint in an escalating transatlantic dispute that has seen Downing Street accuse the US of trying to “interfere in our democracy”.
The row erupted after JD Vance, the US vice-president, posted on X that the killing was the result of “the mass invasion of migrants” and that the “only response” was “righteous anger”. The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Digwa, a 23-year-old British-born Sikh, was born in Britain. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years for murder, using a 21cm (8in) blade he said he carried as part of his faith.
“Downing Street accuses US of interference after JD Vance blames Henry Nowak's murder on migration.”
Downing Street responded without naming Vance directly, saying: “In recent days we have seen people trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets.” The statement added that the Nowak family had “said they do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension. We should be respecting their wishes.”
The political fallout has spread. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for an “independent rapid review” into the circumstances surrounding Nowak’s death, saying the questions raised were “of profound public importance”. Josh MacAlister, the Minister for Children and Families, told BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions: “There are people who are trying to import that kind of toxic politics here into the UK and I don’t want to have anything to do with it.”
Protests broke out in Southampton this week after the release of bodycam footage showing Nowak handcuffed and telling officers “I can’t breathe”. Eleven people have been charged with violent disorder. Members of the neo-Nazi group White Vanguard laid flowers outside Portswood police station. On Tuesday, violent protests took place. Reform leader Nigel Farage had called for “pure cold rage” over the incident, accusing police of “two-tier” policing.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the officers’ behaviour. An inquest jury next year will consider whether any act or omission by police officers contributed to the death. For now, the family’s plea for unity is competing with a chorus of fury – from American politicians and from the streets of Southampton.