Starmer urges calm as far right seeks to exploit Henry Nowak murder
Prime minister echoes family’s plea that case should not be used to target communities
TL;DR
- Politicians and community leaders are calling for calm amid fears the populist right is using the murder of Henry Nowak to incite racist resentment.
- Keir Starmer condemned Nigel Farage for exploiting the case, emphasizing that Nowak's family asked for the tragedy not to be used to target communities.
- Vickrum Digwa was jailed for life for fatally stabbing 18-year-old student Henry Nowak with a Sikh dagger.
- US hard-right commentators, including Elon Musk, have highlighted police body-camera footage showing Nowak being handcuffed despite stating he had been stabbed, arguing it shows 'two-tier' policing.
- Nigel Farage repeated claims of excessive focus on racial equality, warning of 'destruction of society' and promoting 'white lives matter'.
- Far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) rallied a crowd outside Southampton police station, accusing Hampshire police of institutional racism and calling for Digwa's family to be forced out of Southampton.
- Sikh groups condemned the actions of the individual offender, stating the wider Sikh community has faced considerable abuse and hate since the murder.
- Academics have clarified that the murder weapon, a 21cm knife, should not be confused with a kirpan, a small, symbolic Sikh knife.
- The IOPC has found no indication of disciplinary or criminal offense by the officers involved after six months of inquiries.
- Nowak's father condemned the police's treatment of his son but urged that his death not be used to create further division or hatred.
- The incident has prompted police chiefs to review parts of their anti-racism commitments due to concerns about the wording.