UK Minister Condemns Violent Protests Following Students Murder

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has condemned violent demonstrations over the death of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying after a false claim of a racist attack. The riots on Tuesday were sparked by claims that the UK’s justice system is biased against white people.

Nowak was murdered in December by Vickrum Digwa, a 23-year-old British Sikh, who stabbed him five times and then falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault. A court found Digwa guilty of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment on Monday.

Police initially treated Nowak as a suspect and handcuffed him before noticing his injuries and trying to resuscitate him. The case has dominated headlines in the UK, with violent protests erupting in Southampton, where Nowak was killed. Police reported that hundreds of people pelted them with objects late on Tuesday, resulting in two arrests and 11 injured officers and a police dog.

Nowak’s father, Mark, criticized the treatment of his son by the police, calling it “inhumane and degrading.” However, he also urged against using his death to create further division. The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, expressed concern over the bodycam video showing officers not taking Nowak seriously when he reported being stabbed.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is reviewing the actions of the officers involved in the case, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council will review its antiracism guidance. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has linked the case to claims of “two-tier policing,” which suggests that ethnic minorities are treated more favorably than white people.

Other politicians have called for Sikhs to be banned from carrying ceremonial knives, known as kirpans. Hampshire Police has apologized and stated that one of the officers involved in the arrest had resigned, while three others were being treated as witnesses in the investigation.

Source: Al Jazeera