Three additional people have been charged with violent disorder following protests in Southampton this week over the murder of Henry Nowak. Connor Bishop, 24, of Southampton; Reece Robinson, 21, of Havant; and Noah Etherington, 18, of Havant, were due to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Friday morning, Hampshire Police said.
The protests erupted after the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa, 23, who received a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of 18-year-old Nowak in December. Anger was fuelled by the release of police body-worn footage showing Nowak being handcuffed moments before he lost consciousness and later died from stab wounds.
The treatment of the student from Essex sparked a political row, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging politicians to heed the teenager's relatives' calls not to use his death “to cause disturbances”. Starmer met Nowak's family on Thursday, saying he was “profoundly humbled” to have had a private conversation with them in Downing Street.
Starmer urged the nation to choose unity over hatred, adding that Nowak “deserves a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy”. He criticised Nigel Farage's response – that Nowak's murder should be met with “rage” – as unforgivable. The Reform UK leader rejected the criticism, insisting he condemned “all violence” and had agreed to meet Nowak's family.
