Calls grow for police to dump 'race bias' policies after murder of student Henry Nowak who 'died because of DEI'

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Vickrum Digwa, 23, who was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years in prison for stabbing Mr Henry Nowak with a ceremonial knife, told police at the scene he had been the victim of a racist attack.

In body-worn camera footage from the incident, Mr Nowak can be heard repeatedly saying: “I’ve been stabbed”, to which an officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.”

In the wake of Mr Nowak's death, violent scenes erupted close to where Henry was fatally stabbed, with protesters shouting "racist police, off our streets." Two people were arrested.

The spotlight has also turned to Britain's police forces, which face mounting criticism for treating ethnic minorities differently when investigating crimes amid claims of "two-tier policing".

Politicians have also blamed DEI guidelines for Henry’s death.

Sir Keir Starmer has said that Hampshire police have “serious questions” to answer including “how accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case”.

Nigel Farage said Mr Nowak had been “killed by DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion]”.

Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, said police “seemed more concerned with the accusation of racism than the pleas of a dying man”.

It has been revealed that Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, the force that dealt with Mr Nowak's murder, published guidance advising officers to understand the "impact, trauma and history" of police ethnic minorities in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Read more: Police officer resigns over Henry Nowak bodycam footage - as remaining three serving officers 'treated as witnesses'

Read more: Police face death threats over Henry Nowak case, Home Secretary reveals amid ‘dangerous undercurrent’ of intimidation

An anti-racism commitment document published by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) early last year has also drawn criticism for advising officers to treat suspects differently depending on their ethnicity.

The NPCC has since announced plans to listen to "legitimate concerns" about how their commitments are "worded or phrased" and will "make changes" where needed.

Sue Sim, former chief constable of Northumbria Police, told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that while the document is trying to say that the police stand by their anti-racism commitment, "it is written extremely badly."

"It does not mean treating everyone the same or being colourblind, and in brackets, racial equality that can encourage officers to treat people differently," she told LBC.

"These documents should be addressed specifically and they should be addressed now. British policing is about policing without fear or favour.

"You treat people equally. You have to address the needs of people, absolutely. But that's in the same way that we should do that we don't want sexism, we don't want homophobia."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called the killing of student Henry Nowak a “seminal moment for Britain” on par with the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993.

Mrs Badenoch said: “Henry’s murder and the police’s botched response must be a seminal moment for Britain on a par with the murder of Stephen Lawrence, the black teenager killed in 1993, which precipitated the Macpherson Report six years later, which found the Metropolitan Police to be ‘institutionally racist’.

“Stephen’s murder forced the country to confront the intolerable and say: ‘This is not who we are’. Indeed, many battles have been won in making our society better and fairer since then.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also described the 18-year-old finance student’s death as “a watershed moment for this country”.

Officers clashed with protesters in Southampton on Tuesday evening, where they were pelted with stones before they charged with perspex shields in an attempt to push the crowd back.

Two people have been arrested for assaulting police and possession of a weapon.

Demonstrators chanted "Henry, Henry" as the line of police was pelted with bricks and forced to retreat again.

Earlier in the evening, close to 1,000 protesters joined Tommy Robinson as chants of "I can't breathe" and "racist police, off our streets" could be heard in response to the bodycam footage which showed university student Henry telling officers he had been stabbed.

Sarah Jones, policing and crime minister, told LBC: "We all understand the emotion that people are feeling, but I would ask that people take that emotion and allow justice to take its course so that we can make sure we do the right thing, rather than, in the case of last night, assaults and attacks on our police officers."

Officers were also pelted with missiles. LBC has contacted Hampshire Police for comment.

Reacting to the scenes, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "The scenes this evening in Portswood are completely unacceptable.

"The Nowak family made a powerful call to us all yesterday to not let Henry’s death be used to create further division, hatred or tension.

"There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder. Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law.

"I thank the police who have tonight shown great bravery and calm in the face of disgraceful violence directed at them."

Following the protest outside the station, a large group walked across town to the area close to where the murder took place.

Chairs, cans and flares were thrown at police in riot gear, eventually forcing officers and three police vans back from the line they had been holding.

Protesters gathered outside the station at around 6pm and held a minute's silence for Henry.

Many could be seen holding England flags with others holding signs reading: "All lives matter" and "Starmer = responsible".

They were reciting The Lord's Prayer and chanting "Christ is King" during the protest and chanted "Shame on you" towards the offices on scene.

The case has sparked nationwide outrage after it emerged Digwa lied and claimed that he had been racially abused by the student, leading officers to restrain Henry while he pleaded that he could not breathe.

Henry's father, Mark, said the family did not want his death to be used to "create further division, hatred or tension".

Speaking after the sentencing on Monday, Henry's father, Mark, said: "We need real solutions. We need investment in prevention. We need stronger action on the sale, the ownership and carrying of all knives.

"As this case so painfully demonstrates, we need common sense applied to our laws. This doesn't mean knee-jerk reactions, this doesn't mean going to extremes. It just means a common-sense approach to law and order."

But among the attendees at the gathering were Tommy Robinson and Lawrence Fox.

Robinson told the cheering crowd he had been "warning of this day for 20 years".

He said through a megaphone: "What the whole world can see now with Henry's video is what we all know already. The different treatment of white people compared to non-whites.

"We see this spreading to every institution in this country. The crying, the pleading 'I can’t breathe', it’s insane."

The response to the case has created division within Westminster after Nigel Farage accused the police response as being an example of "two-tier Britain".

But his comments were slammed by Kemi Badenoch and former leader of the Conservative Party Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who accused Farage of "stirring things up rather than trying to calm them down".

Sir Keir Starmer also said there were "serious questions" to answer following the case and said he "felt sick" watching the footage.