Chaos as flares and bikes thrown at police in Southampton Henry Nowak protest

Riot police have arrived at the protest scene in Southampton following widespread anger after bodycam footage revealed stabbed student Henry Nowak's pleas for assistance were disregarded. Officers have faced a barrage of projectiles near the location where Nowak was fatally stabbed, with masked individuals also hurling bicycles at police equipped with shields. After the demonstration outside Southampton Central Police station, a substantial crowd marched across the city towards the St Denys area, adjacent to where the killing occurred. While the vast majority of the hundreds attending the protest remained peaceful, certain individuals, many concealing their identities, began creating disorder with police. Chairs, cans and flares were launched at officers in riot equipment, ultimately compelling police and three police vans to retreat from their established position. Destruction was also visible in the surrounding vicinity, with fencing torn down. Officers were additionally observed forcing the crowd backwards using riot shields while chants of "I can't breathe" rang out. The murderer of finance student Nowak, 23 year old Vickrum Digwa, deceived police responding to the stabbing scene in Southampton on 3 December 2025, falsely claiming he had been the victim of a racist assault, reports the Daily Star . Body-worn camera footage from the incident captures Nowak repeatedly stating: "I've been stabbed," to which an officer responds: "Don't think you have, mate." This footage sparked fury, with the Prime Minister declaring he "felt sick" while viewing the recording. A police helicopter was also spotted circling overhead following a relatively peaceful demonstration outside the station, where far-right activist Tommy Robinson joined protesters. Speaking to the assembled crowd, Robinson said: "I heard someone say this wasn't about race, this is about race. Because he (Mr Nowak) was white he was handcuffed. "Even after they found out he (Digwa) had stabbed him five times, they still didn't handcuff him. A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn't." The demonstrations follow comments from Nowak's father Mark, who said: "We do not not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension." The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed investigators are reviewing substantial body-worn video footage alongside evidence presented during Digwa's trial. Sir Keir stated: "It is absolutely right that the IOPC are looking at this. There are clearly serious questions that need to be addressed, not least how accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case." Digwa received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years imprisonment for stabbing Nowak with a ceremonial blade measuring 21cm, which prosecutors described as a kirpan, carried as part of his Sikh faith.