UK Police Handcuff Dying White Victim After Attacker's False Racism Claim, Igniting Two-Tier Policing Backlash

Bodycam footage released in June 2026 shows Hampshire Police officers handcuffing 18-year-old Southampton student Henry Nowak as he lay dying from five stab wounds on December 3, 2025, after his attacker falsely claimed a racist assault. The killer, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, who carried a 21cm blade citing his Sikh faith, was later convicted and sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years. Officers initially prioritized the attacker's account, arresting Nowak for assault while he repeatedly said 'I can't breathe.' Prime Minister Keir Starmer described feeling 'sick' upon viewing the footage and noted 'serious questions for police.' The case has fueled accusations of two-tier policing, with critics including Kemi Badenoch arguing that assumptions were jumped to based on the victim's ethnicity. Social media posts, including from @bear_ing, highlighted claims that police urged deletion of related footage amid the backlash. Mainstream outlets such as BBC and NPR reported national outrage and riots linked to perceptions of biased response. The incident underscores documented concerns over initial scene assessments in interracial violence cases.