Four plead guilty to violent disorder after protests over Henry Nowak murder

Four men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder during protests in Southampton sparked by the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, as Sikh MPs said the killing was “not about Sikhism”. Nowak was fatally stabbed in Southampton in December by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence. Digwa, who has been jailed for life, used a blade he claimed he was carrying for religious reasons linked to his Sikh faith. Under UK law, it is illegal to carry most knives in public without a good reason, but the law provides exemptions for religious reasons under Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The judge who sentenced Digwa said he was carrying a knife in a sheath, as well as a second, larger dagger linked to his tradition as a member of the Nihang order of Sikhs. The Sikh Federation said the blade used by Digwa was not a religious knife, known as a kirpan, and condemned the Crown Prosecution Service for not making this clear during the trial, telling the BBC the community has been “demonised”. However, the CPS said Digwa chose to carry two ceremonial knives and that the judge’s finding of fact made clear he agreed with its assessment that the weapon used was a kirpan. The killing of Nowak has reignited the debate about knife laws in the UK. Following Digwa’s conviction, prominent right-wing figures, including billionaire Elon Musk, have criticised current UK law around carrying the knife. There has also been violent disorder following protests over the murder in Southampton. Now four men have pleaded guilty to violent disorder. In a statement, 11 Sikh MPs said Nowak’s murder was a “horrific and senseless crime” and their “thoughts remain with his family and loved ones”. “As Sikh MPs, we believe it is important to be clear about the facts,” the statement said. “This case was not about Sikhism, and the weapon used was not a kirpan. As the court found, it was an offensive weapon. No religious protection or justification applied, and the offender was rightly convicted and sentenced.”