Outrage has erupted in the UK after the release of footage showing the arrest of Henry Nowak. The video was released following significant public outcry and demands, after what many described as an inexcusable delay that they say suggests an attempt to cover up the police officers’ actions.

Nowak, a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton from Chafford Hundred, Essex, was walking home alone after a night out with friends.

Vickrum Digwa, who was carrying a 21 cm Shastar blade -a weapon that is part of his Sikh faith which, surprisingly, it is legal in the UK to carry– stabbed Nowak five times, including a fatal chest wound and injuries to his legs. Nowak fled, tried to climb a fence, and called for help as neighbors alerted police.

When officers arrived, Digwa falsely claimed self-defense, alleging a “racist assault” by Nowak. Believing this, police handcuffed the bleeding Nowak on the ground.

The damning for the British police footage from police officer body cameras shows the moment Nowak repeatedly pleaded, “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe,” only to be dismissed by the policeman Tristan John Parsons who said “Don’t think you have, mate“. A few moments later he collapsed and died at the scene around 12:37 a.m. Digwa’s mother later hid the knife.

At Southampton Crown Court, Digwa was convicted of murder on 28 May 2026 and sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years on 1 June. His mother, Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender. The judge rejected Digwa’s claims as lies, noting they inflamed racial tensions. The police response is under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, sparking widespread debate about the two-tier policing in the UK. 

Political reactions followed the release of the footage. Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, criticised the incident, stating in a video that “we live in a two-tier country where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities.”

Tommy Robinson also condemned what he described as “racist police practices that target white people” in a post on X.

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, commented on ITV that “something has gone terribly wrong with policing.”

Before the footage was released, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the case as “horrific and shocking” and said the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will investigate the police response to the killing of Nowak.

Following the verdict, the victim’s father called for a “thorough, courageous and transparent” investigation, stating that his son was treated in an “inhumane and degrading” manner.

Hampshire Constabulary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France issued an apology on Friday, saying officers were “misled by the lies” of Digua, although this does not justify the fact that the officer Parsons and his partners did not take the necessary action when Nowak told them he was stabbed.

The incident and police response have also drawn criticism from Elon Musk, who said he would be willing to fund legal action against Hampshire Police.