Henry Nowak’s family says the teenager would have hated the riots and protests that followed his death, and has accused some politicians of using his murder to advance wider political arguments.
Nowak was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa last year in Southampton. As he lay dying, police handcuffed him after Digwa falsely accused him of racial abuse. In the weeks that followed, protesters demonstrated in the city, including groups whose leaders or supporters had called for people to attend.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also gave an emergency address calling for “pure cold rage” and demanding an end to what he described as “two-tier policing”.
In an interview for ITV Tonight’s documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight for Justice, the family said they had worked to keep politics out of Nowak’s story. His mother, Lucy Ross, said she believed some people had tried to use his death to make broader political points. She said she wanted to know why her son had been treated as he was while another family was treated differently.
His father, Mark Nowak, told ITV that his son was not a divisive person and that the political response to his murder did not reflect Henry’s values or those of his family.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) expects to complete its investigation into possible failures in the police response early next year. In a letter to the family in April, the watchdog said there were no grounds at that stage to subject officers to conduct or criminal investigations. It said the decision would remain under review as the case proceeded. In July, the IOPC announced that two officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has commissioned an independent review of the case, including the IOPC’s involvement. Led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk, it will examine whether there were any missed opportunities to intervene. Mahmood told ITV that the family deserved answers and said she had committed to ensuring they receive them.
Sources: The Guardian Politics.