When a British teenager was stabbed to death in Southampton, his family asked for calm—but instead, the tragedy became a transatlantic political flashpoint. The murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak last December has sparked a fierce debate about policing, knife crime, and migration, after US Vice-President JD Vance blamed the killing on what he called a “mass invasion of migrants”. His comments drew a sharp rebuke from UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who told Vance he was “wrong”.
The facts of the case are stark. Henry Nowak, a British student, was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who is also British and was born in the UK. Digwa falsely claimed he had been racially abused and had acted in self-defence after murdering Nowak. He was jailed for life. Bodycam footage showed police handcuffing Nowak as he lay dying, after Digwa falsely told officers he was the victim of a racist attack. The killing ignited violent protests in Southampton and raised serious questions about policing and knife laws.
“The US vice president linked a British teenager's murder to migration, sparking a row with UK ministers.”
Vance, writing on X, said Nowak had died “the same way a civilisation dies: abandoned and handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him”. He blamed the killing on “the last few generations of European elites” who had not stood their ground against “the mass invasion of migrants”. Despite Nowak’s killer being British-born, Vance linked the murder directly to immigration.
Lammy, who has a long-standing friendship with Vance, said he called the vice-president on Saturday and told him he was wrong. “It has got nothing to do with mass migration,” Lammy told the BBC. He described the conversation as “robust” but said they remain colleagues and friends. Downing Street also hit out at those “seeking to stir up division” over the murder.
The Nowak family themselves have appealed for calm. In a statement outside court after sentencing, Henry’s father Mark said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.” The New Statesman, in a commentary, warned that the tragedy was being exploited for political narratives before all facts were established, noting that incorrect speculation about an offender being a foreign national can inflame an already bad situation.
Q: What did JD Vance say about Henry Nowak’s death? Vance wrote on X that Nowak would still be alive if European elites had “stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants”. He called for “righteous anger” as the “only response”.
Q: Why did David Lammy speak to JD Vance? Lammy, the deputy prime minister, said he called Vance to tell him his comments were wrong. He said the killing “has got nothing to do with mass migration” and reminded Vance that Nowak’s family had called for calm.
Q: What did the Nowak family say? Henry’s father Mark appealed for calm, saying: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.” He said they want “his story to make our streets safer for everyone”.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the actions of officers who handcuffed Nowak as he lay dying. The controversy over policing, knife laws, and the politicisation of tragedy continues, with UK ministers and US officials at odds over how to interpret the case.