Police face investigation over conduct for handcuffing 18-year-old Henry Nowak as he lay dying due to a racism accusation
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenAgence France-PressePublished: 10:17am, 3 Jun 2026Updated: 10:19am, 3 Jun 2026Video of a dying student who was handcuffed by British police after being stabbed by a Sikh man and falsely accused of racially abusing his murderer sparked outrage on Tuesday, with protesters throwing bricks at police.
Eighteen-year-old Henry Nowak was heard repeatedly telling officers: “I can’t breathe” in police bodycam footage captured as he lay mortally wounded in December after a night out with his football team members.
Far-right figures have seized on the case, including firebrand Tommy Robinson, who spoke at a rally in the southern city of Southampton, where the murder took place, claiming police treat white British people as “second-rate citizens”.
Protesters then marched through the city centre towards the scene of the crime, where police blocked the road. Demonstrators attacked officers with bricks, bottles and bins.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood condemned the “disgraceful violence” against police and said on X that “those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law”.
