Starmer Knelt for Floyd But Silent for Months on Henry Nowak
A British teenager fatally stabbed pleaded for help while restrained by police, prompting national outrage and forcing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to end his silence after bodycam footage emerged.
Henry Nowak, just 18 years old, was fatally stabbed on December 3, 2025, and left dying on the ground while officers restrained him instead of his attacker. According to Nius, newly released bodycam footage shows Nowak repeatedly begging officers for help, pleading that he could not breathe. Instead of receiving aid, he was arrested. He died shortly afterward.
The case has exposed deep fissures in British policing and political leadership. Critics are asking why officers allowed a stabbing victim to die in restraints, why none have faced disciplinary action, and why the Prime Minister remained silent for months while the family of a murdered teenager waited for acknowledgment.
Henry Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, appealed for calm after the verdict. He asked that his son’s death not be used to fuel division, hatred, or tension, and expressed hope that it would instead make Britain’s streets safer for everyone.
Dimitris Papafotis is the editor-in-chief of NewsFire.GR. He was born and raised in Athens. He studied at the Journalism Workshop (1991-1993). He currently lives in Pyrgos, Ilia, where he has been active in radio and various newspapers, while also maintaining his personal blog, Papafotis.gr.
Henry Nowak, just 18 years old, was fatally stabbed on December 3, 2025, and left dying on the ground while officers restrained him instead of his attacker. According to Nius, newly released bodycam footage shows Nowak repeatedly begging officers for help, pleading that he could not breathe. Instead of receiving aid, he was arrested. He died shortly afterward.
Photo: nius.de
His killer, 23-year-old Sikh man Vickrum Digwa, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years. Nowak sustained five stab wounds and died restrained on the pavement.
Echoes of George Floyd — But a Very Different Political Response
The words Nowak spoke in his final moments — begging that he could not breathe — are chillingly identical to those of George Floyd, the Black American man whose death in Minneapolis in 2020 ignited global protests. But the reaction from Britain’s political establishment has been starkly different.
When Floyd died on May 25, 2020, Starmer, then leader of the opposition, responded immediately. He told Parliament that Floyd’s death had shone a light on racism and hate experienced by many in the United States and beyond. He wrote to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, stating that Britain had a moral duty to speak out. Starmer then knelt in solidarity, and the image was broadcast worldwide.
Photo: nius.de
When Henry Nowak was killed, Starmer said nothing. The official explanation was that public statements could interfere with ongoing legal proceedings.
Silence Broken Only Under Pressure
Starmer remained silent until June 1, 2026 — the day Digwa was sentenced — and only after public outrage over the released bodycam footage became overwhelming. He then posted on social media that Nowak had been kind, thoughtful, and deeply loved, and that the bodycam material was distressing. He stated it was right for the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate, and said there were serious questions the police must answer.
Photo: nius.de
The following day, Starmer told journalists he felt sick watching the footage. He called for an inquiry into how allegations of racism may have influenced police decisions at the scene.
Protests Turn Violent in Southampton
On the evening of June 2, 2026, more than 1,000 people gathered outside the police station in Southampton. A minute of silence was held for Nowak, and protesters repeatedly chanted his dying words. Demonstrators then marched to the neighborhood where the teenager was murdered, calling on officers to kneel.
Photo: nius.de
The atmosphere soon turned hostile. In the Saint Denys district, police were pelted with stones. Officers advanced with riot shields. In the nearby Portswood area, close to the murder scene, the situation escalated further. Chairs, stones, and flares were thrown at police. Rubbish bins were set alight, and officers were verbally abused. Police deployed pepper spray, cordoned off streets, and helicopters circled overhead.
Photo: nius.de
Eleven officers were injured during the unrest, according to official reports.
Online Fury and Calls for Vigilante Justice
Online, anger boiled over. Officers not even involved in the incident were doxxed on social media, with names, addresses, and photographs published. The Hampshire Police Federation condemned calls for vigilante justice and urged politicians and influencers to act responsibly.
One officer who was present at the scene quietly resigned without facing any formal consequences. Three others remain on duty. All are currently classified only as witnesses.
Farage and Restore Britain Speak Out
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, described the bodycam footage as the most shocking discriminatory material ever seen. He accused police of prioritizing fear of racism accusations over a murder investigation, and declared that the case must be a turning point. While praising Nowak’s family for their dignity, Farage urged others to respond with cold fury, claiming that officers’ greatest fear today is being reported for racist behavior.
Photo: nius.de
Rupert Lowe, who leads Restore Britain, a splinter group from Reform UK, went further. He called for the death penalty for Digwa on social media, as Nius reports.
Photo: nius.dePhoto: nius.de
Questions Remain Over Police Conduct
The case has exposed deep fissures in British policing and political leadership. Critics are asking why officers allowed a stabbing victim to die in restraints, why none have faced disciplinary action, and why the Prime Minister remained silent for months while the family of a murdered teenager waited for acknowledgment.
Henry Nowak’s father, Mark Nowak, appealed for calm after the verdict. He asked that his son’s death not be used to fuel division, hatred, or tension, and expressed hope that it would instead make Britain’s streets safer for everyone.
