US State Department Criticizes UK Policing in Message on Henry Nowak Murder
The US State Department has expressed criticism of what it describes as “two-tiered policing” in the United Kingdom in a message of condolence to the family of Henry Nowak, a student who was murdered. The statement serves as a subtle rebuke of the UK government’s handling of the case.
Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old student, was fatally stabbed, and his murder has been cited by some as evidence of two-tier policing in the UK. This term refers to the perception that certain groups receive harsher treatment than others due to ideological reasons.
After being falsely accused of racist abuse by his killer, Vickrum Digwa, Nowak was handcuffed by Hampshire police officers while he was dying. Digwa was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.
High-profile figures such as Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, and Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, have suggested that the circumstances surrounding Nowak’s false arrest and subsequent murder indicate bias against white individuals. Both Musk and Farage have faced accusations of exploiting the teenager’s death for political purposes.
On Thursday evening, the US State Department, which oversees foreign policy and is led by Marco Rubio, issued a statement on X addressing the situation. The post read:
“Ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilisational decline. They must be rejected across the West. The United States sends our condolences to the family of Henry Nowak and the people of the United Kingdom at this troubling time.”
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Elon Musk is known for regularly posting ethno-nationalist content and supports Restore Britain, a hard-right party founded by Rupert Lowe, a former Reform UK MP.
The UK Prime Minister’s remarks followed weeks of posts by Musk on his social media platform concerning Nowak’s murder, many of which incorporated far-right themes and talking points.
Labour leader Keir Starmer met with Nowak’s family at Downing Street on Thursday to discuss the police response. After the meeting, Starmer stated he was “profoundly humbled” and pledged to take “whatever action is required to right the wrongs in this case.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, is currently investigating the conduct of the officers who handcuffed Nowak after he had been fatally stabbed.
On Tuesday night, eleven police officers and one police dog were injured during a protest that included far-right agitators. The demonstration was organized in response to Nowak’s death and the treatment he received from the police.
