Protesters clash with police officers during a demonstration following the conviction of Vikrum Digwa for the murder of student Henry Nowak, in Southampton, Britain, on Jun 2, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Isabel Infantes)
03 Jun 2026 05:52PM
(Updated: 03 Jun 2026 05:55PM)
LONDON: Britain's interior minister Shabana Mahmood on Wednesday (Jun 3) condemned as "completely unacceptable" violent protests which broke out over the case of an 18-year-old who was handcuffed as he lay dying after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack.The murder of student Henry Nowak last year has dominated headlines in Britain since the sentencing of his Sikh killer on Monday, with the footage of officers ignoring a dying innocent man sparking a political storm about how police treat different ethnicities.The government welcomed a move by police chiefs to review guidelines, which were drawn up in response to well-documented incidents of racism in policing, but denied the existence of a "two-tier" system, a much-discussed topic on social media."There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder," Mahmood said, after protesters clashed with police last night in the port city of Southampton, close to where Nowak was killed.
