An officer involved in the Henry Nowak case has resigned, Hampshire Police say, after Sir Keir Starmer said he “felt sick” watching footage of police handcuffing the student as he lay dying.
The force said one of the officers had quit but three were still serving.
The prime minister said a full investigation was needed into how “accusations of racism” informed the police’s decision-making.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for murdering the 18-year-old in Southampton.
Footage shows that Mr Nowak, 18, was handcuffed while he lay dying after Digwa told officers he had racially abused him. He is heard saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.”
Sir Keir said the footage was “harrowing”, adding: “As a father of a 17-year-old boy, I felt sick watching it.”
Demonstrators later clashed with riot police, pelting them with burning bins, as well as bottles, stones and flares near the area where Mr Nowak lived, as a protest turned violent.
Thousands of people had gathered outside Southampton police station, accusing police of racism.
Read MoreMan jailed for at least 21 years for fatally stabbing student with Sikh ceremonial knife
Dying student handcuffed by police after attacker who stabbed him told racism lie
Key Points
- Attorney general's office considering Digwa's sentence
- Family of Vickrum Digwa apologise to Henry Nowak's family
- Downing Street urged to review rules on religious knives after murder
- Hampshire Police Federation 'condemns calls for mob or vigilante justice against officers'
- Kemi Badenoch fights back tears over Henry Nowak death
Pictured: Protesters confront police near the location where Henry Nowak died
07:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Nowak's MP speaks of her 'cold rage'
06:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Labour MP for Thurrock in Kent, where Henry Nowak was from, condemned the footage of Henry Nowak's wrongful arrest as "absolutely horrific".
" I cannot imagine what the family think when they watched that, how that felt for them to watch their loved ones final moments were spent in that really, truly atrocious way," Jen Craft told The Cathy Newman Show on Sky.
"And always the kind of, you know, the cold rage that comes over you when you see something like that take place."
Asked whether she shared the feelings of Nigel Farage, who used the phrase “cold rage”, she said: "I share the anger at watching what happened to my constituent who was, you know, by all accounts, a really, really lovely young man that had so much warmth around him.
"I think the rage I feel was just seeing how utterly unfair it feels that in his last moments, that's how he was treated."
Recap: Police chiefs say they could amend anti-racism pledge wording
05:00 , Rebecca WhittakerAmy-Clare Martin the Independent’s crime correspondent reports:
The National Police Chiefs’ Council say if needed they will amend some of the wording of the Police Anti-Racism Commitment published by the Police Race Action Plan last year.
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “It is essential that we police without fear or favour in keeping the peace and enforcing the law.
“We must do so to earn the confidence of all communities.
“We also know that people from Black communities have the lowest levels of confidence in the police.
“Recent independent inquiries such as by Baroness Louise Casey have also urged our service to renew its efforts to address racism and discrimination.
“This historic and ongoing mistrust between the police and Black communities risks for example people not reporting things to the police if they are in trouble or aiding our efforts to catch criminals, fight crime and protect all communities.
“We are listening to legitimate concerns about how some of these commitments are worded or phrased, and where needed we can and will make changes, but this should not detract from the intent, which is to improve the quality of policing.”
Watch: Protesters clash with police in Southampton over murder of Henry Nowak
04:00 , Rebecca WhittakerWatch: Kemi Badenoch fights back tears over Henry Nowak death
03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerConservative leader stresses 'no one should die like that' after watching video of Henry Nowak
02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerKemi Badenoch said she thought of her son when watching the “horrific” video of Henry Nowak.
She said: “I just kept thinking, that’s someone’s boy. That could be my boy. That could have been any kid. He’s just a child. It’s harrowing. He must be absolutely terrified.
“Dying like that is the thing that really disturbed me. No one should die like that. Even criminals don’t die like that. And Henry did not deserve that.”
Mahmood condemns ‘disgraceful’ scenes after Henry Nowak protesters throw bricks and bottles at police
01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerShabana Mahmood condemned “disgraceful” scenes of violence after riot police were pelted with bottles and bricks during a protest near the home of Henry Nowak's killer in Southampton.
The Home Secretary said that violence directed towards officers was “completely unacceptable” after clashes in the St Denys area on Tuesday evening.
Read more here:
Mahmood condemns ‘disgraceful’ scenes as Nowak protesters throw bottles at police
Home Secretary condemned the clashes between protesters and police
Wednesday 3 June 2026 00:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Home Secretary has condemned the clashes between protesters and police in Southampton following the murder of Henry Nowak.
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.”
Watch: Police officer received death threats over Henry Nowak murder, Mahmood says
Tuesday 2 June 2026 23:00 , Rebecca WhittakerMahmood condemns 'disgraceful' scenes of violence in Southampton
Tuesday 2 June 2026 22:10 , Jane DaltonHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood has condemned violent scenes in Southampton tonight, where protesters clashed with police.
She 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."
Thugs hurl burning bins at police
Tuesday 2 June 2026 21:54 , Jane DaltonProtesters have set commercial bins alight and are rolling them at speed towards officers.
The Daily Echo reports that one large bin broke through the police barricade and was burning behind officers.
Mob throws wheelie bins at police
Tuesday 2 June 2026 21:40 , Jane DaltonThugs have started throwing wheelie bins at riot police in St Denys Road, near Portswood Police Station.
Locals are clashing with the police now in Southampton as the protest in memory of Henry Nowak winds down. I’ve seen bottles, fencing, and even bins being thrown, resulting in bloody faces for some of the protesters pic.twitter.com/znBDlG1Q67
— Jack Hadfield 🇬🇧 (@JackHadders) June 2, 2026
Police charge after being pelted with stones
Tuesday 2 June 2026 21:13 , Jane DaltonA police helicopter hovered overhead as officers were pelted with stones on a residential street in the St Denys area of Southampton before they charged with clear shields in an attempt to push the crowd back.
Demonstrators chanted “Henry, Henry” as the line of police were pelted with bricks and forced to retreat again.
Attacks force police back from line
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:47 , Jane DaltonPolice officers appeared to retreat after being pelted with missiles close to where Henry Nowak was stabbed to death in St Denys.
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.
Police in riot gear appear to retreat
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:38 , Jane DaltonPolice in riot gear appeared to retreat from protesters.
Video from @ERhodesjourno shows police in riot gear appearing to retreat from protesters furious at the handling of the arret of Henry Nowak.
— Joe Stack (@joe_stack_) June 2, 2026
This is a stone's thrown from where the teen was killed. pic.twitter.com/RcqLkdnwzY
Protesters descend on scene of murder
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:36 , Jane DaltonA group of young protesters have surged into the patio area of a building in Belmont Road, where it’s believed Henry Nowak was murdered, The Southampton Times reports.
🚨 Protesters storm apartment bushes on Belmont road, where Henry Nowak was murdered. pic.twitter.com/434aY5VuX1
Missiles thrown at police
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:31 , Jane DaltonGlass bottles and other objects are being thrown at police officers at Portswood police station in Southampton, after a unit of riot of police confronted the demonstrators, according to The Daily Echo.
One onlooker said a chair was thrown at police.
Crowds chant 'on your knee' to police
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:26 , Jane DaltonProtesters are now marching from Southampton central police station to Portswood police station, close to where Henry Nowak was killed.
Footage showed crowds chanting to the police to “take the knee” to honour Henry Nowak.
Police are in riot gear.
“ON YOUR KNEES!!!”
— Kiera Diss (@KieraDiss) June 2, 2026
The British people in Portswood are demanding the Hampshire Police take the knee in honour of Henry Nowak.
They should ashamed.
Take the knee.
🎥 @RebelBrits pic.twitter.com/yidL26Yj7a
Police chiefs say they could amend anti-racism pledge wording
Tuesday 2 June 2026 20:03 , Amy-Clare MartinThe National Police Chiefs’ Council say if needed they will amend some of the wording of the Police Anti-Racism Commitment published by the Police Race Action Plan last year.
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “It is essential that we police without fear or favour in keeping the peace and enforcing the law.
“We must do so to earn the confidence of all communities.
“We also know that people from Black communities have the lowest levels of confidence in the police.
“Recent independent inquiries such as by Baroness Louise Casey have also urged our service to renew its efforts to address racism and discrimination.
“This historic and ongoing mistrust between the police and Black communities risks for example people not reporting things to the police if they are in trouble or aiding our efforts to catch criminals, fight crime and protect all communities.
“We are listening to legitimate concerns about how some of these commitments are worded or phrased, and where needed we can and will make changes, but this should not detract from the intent, which is to improve the quality of policing.”
