UK protests erupt after police handcuff dying stabbed student Henry Nowak
Bodycam footage shows 18-year-old saying 'I can't breathe' while handcuffed and bleeding from a stab wound.
Newly released police bodycam footage shows 18-year-old Henry Nowak repeatedly saying 'I can't breathe' while handcuffed and lying mortally wounded after being stabbed in December 2025. The case has ignited fury in the UK city of Southampton, with far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, rallying supporters by claiming police treat white British people as 'second-class citizens'. Protesters threw bricks, bottles, and bins at police, who blocked roads near the stabbing scene.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood condemned the 'disgraceful violence' against officers and warned of legal consequences. Meanwhile, the attacker, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, was sentenced to at least 21 years in prison for using a 21cm ceremonial knife to kill Nowak. The false accusation of racial abuse made against Nowak before his death has further inflamed tensions, with calls for an investigation into police actions during the incident.
- 18-year-old Henry Nowak was stabbed to death by Vickrum Digwa using a 21cm ceremonial knife.
- Police handcuffed Nowak as he lay dying, with bodycam footage capturing him saying 'I can't breathe'.
- Far-right agitator Tommy Robinson led a rally, and protesters attacked police with bricks and bottles.
- Digwa was sentenced to at least 21 years in prison; police face investigation.
- Interior minister Shabana Mahmood condemned the violence against police.
Why It Matters
Highlights deep racial tensions in UK policing and the explosive consequences of mishandled deaths in custody.