Two arrests as 11 officers hurt in Nowak protests

After protesters clashed with police near the 18-year-old Henry Nowak's deadly stabbing site, two people were arrested, 11 officers, and one police dog were wounded, protesters confronted and killed one police officer and one

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined Southampton MPs in condemning the violence, calling the scenes "completely intolerable and intolerant".

In clashes on Tuesday evening near Vickrum Digwa's house in the Portswood area, police were pelted with missiles.

On Monday, the 23-year-old was sentenced to life with a minimum 21-year term, and the clashes with police came as a result of public outrage and scrutiny over why cops arrested and handcuffed Nowak as he died.

A crowd gathered outside the city centre police station before gathering outside the Digwa family's house.

Sir Keir asked the Commons: "Henry Nowak's family has demonstrated extraordinary dignity after their son's life was stolen under appalling circumstances.

"He was clearly a kind, thoughtful, and much-loved young man.

"There are serious questions to answer, including how reports of bigotry informed police decisions, and we're encouraging the IOPC to get to the bottom of what happened.

"But no matter how much pain we feel, there is no excuse for more violence and chaos.

We know and acknowledge as police officers that we are responsible for our conduct,

Chief Constable Alexis Boon said.

"What we want, however, is that those actions are judged through transparent and fair processes. In this situation, the procedure is already underway, with the IOPC conducting their independent investigation.

"The violent scenes we saw in Southampton last night are what we, as a species, cannot comprehend.

"Some people have a clear intention of causing chaos. Bottles were thrown, homemade weapons were used, and injuries were caused to innocent people's homes and cars, as well as threats and violence directed at our officers.

Boon said the number of arrests would rise as prosecutors continue and that residents will see more officers patrolling the area in the coming days, with specialist teams assisting them.

The uprisings prompted Labour MP Darren Paffey, who represents Southampton Itchen, to request calm, adding that whipping up guns had no place in the city.

Paffey referred to the statement delivered by Nowak's family on the steps of Southampton Crown Court.

They don't want his son's death to cause more division, mistrust, or tension,

Henry's parents said. And yet what we saw last night is completely different from that," the MP said.

People came from far away, he said. People said they had travelled four hours to come and make their voices heard.

"People in their homes last night would have been really concerned to see what was going on outside them.

"We should be coming together, not stoking division and pitting populations against each other at a time when a family and community are in mourning.

Donna Jones, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight's police and crime commissioner, said she completely condemned the brutality.

This does not help to bring about change, she said.

"It simply portrays these demonstrators as criminals whose voice weakens.

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has also condemned the unacceptable violence against policemen at the demonstration.

As he walked back to his student accommodation in December 2025, Digwa stabbed Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex.

Officers were thrown in riot gear, causing them to abandon their chairs, as cans and flares were fired at them.

Tommy Robinson, a political activist, spoke to the crowd during the initial protest at the police station.

Digwa stabbed Nowak with a large knife he claimed to carry for religious reasons before lying to police at the scene and falsely claiming he was the perpetrator of a racist assault rather than the perpetrator, which led to the arrest of Nowak.

This week showed Nowak had been shot and killed in handcuffs, according to a body cam video posted this week.

An inquiry into the force's response has been launched by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Following the unveiling of the video, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there were "serious concerns for police.

One of the officers involved in the investigation reportedly resigned, according to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, though the other three officers are still serving. Both of them are being handled as witnesses.

The officer who resigned did so at the end of 2025, not as a result of this occurrence, the force said.

According to the force, an officer not connected to the investigation had died as a result of being misidentified in online messages.

We know the need for answers about the police response that night,

the force said in a blog on X, and advised people not to engage in "harmful internet speculation.

The police watchdog is expected to have an investigation into the case within three months.

Investigators are looking at a substantial body-worn video as well as information published during Digwa's trial, according to the journal.

Digwa's family has apologised

for the pain and agony the Nowak family has had to endure

and for bringing the Sikh congregation into "disrepute.