Henry Nowak: Ministers call for calm after violent clashes over student’s death

WorldPolitics
3 Jun 2026 • 4:40 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Henry Nowak: Ministers call for calm after violent clashes over student’s death

  • Ministers have appealed for calm following clashes between protesters and police near where Henry Nowak was stabbed to death.
  • The unrest came amid outcry that police handcuffed a dying Mr Nowak while his killer claimed to be the victim of a racial attack.
  • Policing Minister Sarah Jones urged people to not “over-react”, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the violence, reiterating that Nowak’s family do not want their son’s death to cause “division”.
  • The National Police Chiefs’ Council announced a review of its anti-racism guidance, which some critics have linked to the actions of the officers involved.
  • Vickrum Digwa received a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years in prison for stabbing Mr Nowak, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the police response, with one officer having resigned and three others still serving.

IN FULL