UK government condemns violence at protest over teens stabbing death

Britain’s interior minister accused activists of hijacking a tragedy to stir up violence after police were attacked at a protest over the death of a teenager who was handcuffed as he lay dying while his killer stood nearby.Police were pelted with chairs, cans, rocks and flares late Tuesday by some of the hundreds who attended a protest in the English south coast city of Southampton, where Henry Nowak was killed in December.His death has triggered debates about policing and knife crime, and has spurred claims by far-right activists and politicians that there is bias against white people in the justice system.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Tuesday night’s violence was “completely unacceptable.”“The Nowak family made a powerful call to us all yesterday to not let Henry’s death be used to create further division, hatred or tension,” she said.“There can be no justification for hijacking this tragedy to stir up violence and disorder.

Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law.”Nowak’s killer, Vickrum Digwa, who is Sikh, falsely claimed he was the victim of a racist assault by 18-year-old Nowak, who was white.When police officers arrived, they initially treated the wounded man as a suspect, before noticing his injury and trying to resuscitate him.Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder and sentenced Monday to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.

The judge said he didn’t believe Nowak had said anything racist to his attacker.After the sentencing, police released video showing officers dismissing Nowak when he told them he had been stabbed and repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was sickened by the video and there are questions to be answered about how “accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case.”The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates allegations of police wrongdoing, is probing the actions of the officers from the Hampshire and Isl...