Government ministers have called for calm following violent clashes between protesters and police near the area where student Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed in Southampton, reports Breaking News.
The unrest followed public anger over the police response to the killing after Nowak’s murderer claimed he had been the victim of a racial attack while the victim lay dying in handcuffs at the scene.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has announced a review of its anti-racism guidance, which advises officers to treat ethnic minority groups differently in an effort to improve outcomes. Critics have suggested the guidance may have influenced officers’ actions during the incident, reports Breaking News.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said she understood why people were upset by the case but urged restraint, noting that Henry Nowak’s family did not want his death to fuel division or hostility.
She said people should channel their anger appropriately and allow the justice system to take its course, adding that the family had also appealed for calm, reports Breaking News.
Jones defended the police Race Action Plan, although ministers have acknowledged that some wording contained within associated police commitments could have been expressed more clearly.
She said everyone must be treated equally under the law while also recognising longstanding and legitimate concerns regarding racism within policing organisations, reports Breaking News.
NPCC chairman Gavin Stephens said police leaders were listening to concerns regarding the language used in some commitments and were willing to make changes where necessary. However, he stressed that the overall objective remained improving the quality of policing.
The case has attracted significant attention from public figures including Nigel Farage, Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch argued that identity politics had contributed to societal divisions and called for a reassessment of policies introduced under anti-racism initiatives, reports Breaking News.
Farage said Nowak had been treated in a manner that appeared to prioritise an allegation of a racial slur over the seriousness of the stabbing itself.
Two individuals were arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers and possessing a weapon after hundreds gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station on Tuesday. Among those addressing the crowd were Tommy Robinson and actor and campaigner Laurence Fox, reports Breaking News.
Violence later erupted when a large group moved towards the Portswood area of Southampton.
Protesters were heard chanting Henry Nowak’s name while police lines came under attack from projectiles including bricks. Chairs, cans and flares were also thrown at officers wearing riot gear, forcing police and several vehicles to retreat from their position, reports Breaking News.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the disorder, describing the scenes as completely unacceptable and accusing some demonstrators of exploiting the tragedy to provoke unrest.
She noted that the Nowak family had publicly appealed for Henry’s death not to be used to generate hatred, division or tension, reports Breaking News.
Henry Nowak’s killer, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, told officers responding to the stabbing in Southampton on December 3, 2025, that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
Body-worn camera footage played during proceedings showed a handcuffed Nowak repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed, while one officer responded that he did not believe this to be the case, reports Breaking News.
Digwa was later sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years after fatally stabbing Nowak with a ceremonial knife. Prosecutors said the weapon was a kirpan, which he carried as part of his Sikh faith.
The court also heard that Digwa had previously been investigated in 2023 over allegations involving ceremonial blades taken from a Sikh temple in Southampton, although no further action was taken at that time, reports Breaking News.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is expected to publish its findings within the next three months. Investigators are reviewing extensive body-worn camera footage and evidence presented during Digwa’s trial.
Independent Office for Police Conduct said the investigation remains ongoing, reports Breaking News.
Hampshire Police confirmed that one officer involved in the incident has since resigned, while three others remain serving members of the force.
All four officers are currently being treated as witnesses during the watchdog investigation, reports Breaking News.
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