Henry Nowak protesters take the knee and chant ‘I can’t breathe’ outside police station in Southampton
Anti-police protesters kneeled and chanted ‘I can’t breathe’ during demonstrations for Henry Nowak outside a police station in Southampton.
A crowd carrying flags and megaphones gathered outside Portswood Police Station on Sunday evening to voice their anger at the ‘two-tier policing’ they believe Henry has been subjected to.
The 18-year-old student was handcuffed as he lay dying on the ground after being stabbed with a ceremonial religious sword by Vickrum Digwa.
Protesters came from across Southampton for the flash demonstration, which was announced on social media just hours before it started.
Some knelt as a sign of respect for Henry, and his last words – ‘I can’t breathe’ – were chanted by the crowd.
Police arriving at the scene were greeted with hostility, cries of ‘shame on you’ and ‘no peace, no justice’ were heard.
Paul, 62, from Southampton, said he joined the protest to ‘stand up and be counted’.
He told the Mail: ‘If the cards had been flipped the world would have burned like BLM.’
Protesters took a knee outside Portswood Police Station on Sunday afternoon to protest the treatment of Henry Nowak in the moments of his death.
The crowd gathered to express anger at the “two-tiered policing” some allegedly subjected Henry to
A monument was erected for Henry in front of the police station
‘There’s a two-tier system and people are afraid to talk about it these days.’
He added: ‘Police are only human and will make mistakes but everything [has] ‘We’ve gone too far with DEI and here’s the bottom line.’
Hampshire Constabulary welcomed the demonstration with a strong police presence and numerous pickup trucks on the surrounding streets.
A previous protest on Tuesday led to clashes between police and protesters, and 14 protesters were later charged with causing violent disorder.
A temporary monument was erected outside the police station; There were signs reading ‘End two-tier policing, end two-tiered justice’ and ‘Never forget Henry Nowak’, as well as flower bouquets and pictures of Henry.
Crowds on Sunday evening waved St George’s crosses and Union Jacks, as well as banners bearing messages such as ‘Justice for Henry’.
Some of the group addressed the crowd, accusing the police of treating people differently based on ethnicity and religion.
One of them said: ‘There is only one law, one standard in this land. Police are responding to the public.
A number of flags and banners were carried by protesters Sunday afternoon.
Some politicians have accused police of a “two-tiered” approach where people are treated differently depending on religion or ethnicity
Protesters threw trash cans during violent clashes with police earlier in the week
Eleven police officers were injured in the chaos and 14 people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.
Protests in Southampton followed the murder of Henry Nowak (pictured) in December last year.
Vickrum Digwa (pictured), 23, was jailed for at least 21 years after stabbing Henry to death
‘Publish the transcript, publish the evidence. ‘Stop making fools of us!’
Tuesday’s protest began outside Southampton Police Station before progressing towards Digwa’s family home.
Trash cans were set on fire and thrown at officers, and several vehicles belonging to residents were destroyed.
A 16-year-old girl was among those arrested in connection with the disorder.
Three more people were arrested and charged on Sunday, bringing the total to 14.
Darren Medhurst (36), Jordan Hambleton (19) and Callum Darch (27) were detained.
The unrest came in response to the release of body camera footage showing officers handcuffing Henry and reading him his rights as he tried to explain that he had been stabbed.
“I don’t think you did that, man,” the arresting officer was heard saying as he turned Henry onto his side.
Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for Henry’s murder.
He falsely claimed that he was the victim of a racist attack and had acted in self-defense.
In reality, he stabbed the first-grader five times with a 21cm knife from his Sikh faith after an argument on the street.
The case has become the focus of a political debate, with Sir Keir Starmer calling on politicians to respect the wishes of the teenager’s family and not use the tragedy to escalate tensions.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police are currently the subject of an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), while Chief Constable Alexis Boon publicly apologized to Henry’s family.
The release of CCTV and body-worn camera footage attracted international attention, with the US State Department commenting on the incident and calling for the practice of what it described as “two-tiered policing” to be rejected in western countries.
Earlier in the week, US Vice President JD Vance sparked a diplomatic row after posting about the case on social media, expressing support for what he described as ‘righteous anger’ and linking Henry’s murder to immigration. His comments were criticized by Downing Street.
Speaking in the House of Commons following the chaos, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the violence as ‘disgraceful and completely unacceptable’ and said those responsible would face ‘the full force of the law’.
