Protesters gathered outside Portswood Police Station for a peaceful vigil to mark the killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak. The small crowd participated in speeches, songs, and a three-minute silence in his honour.
Peaceful Protest Amid Tensions
Kneeling in the street, echoing the protests following George Floyd's death, attendees shouted 'racist police, off our streets'. The vigil came after violent protests in Southampton that led to 14 people being charged with violent disorder, where bricks, fence panels, industrial bins, chairs, and traffic cones were thrown at police officers.
Before the vigil began, a woman urged the crowd to remain peaceful, stating: 'I must stress we are not here for trouble. You had your day. That day is gone. If you're here for trouble, leave now.'
Community Voices
A father asked how many in the crowd 'don't trust our government right now', with many raising their hands. He added: 'That's my message to the government. We don't trust you one bit.' A woman named Mandy described watching bodycam footage of Nowak's treatment as 'one of the most awful things to see', adding: 'He was treated like a piece of meat like it didn't matter.' She called for 'total upheaval' of the police force and directed criticism at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ending her speech with a chant taken up by the crowd.
Attacks on Sikhs Nationwide
Since Vickrum Digwa was sentenced for Nowak's murder, attacks on Sikhs have occurred daily across the country, according to Dabinderjit Singh, a senior executive at the Sikh Federation. Speaking at a march commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the Golden Temple storming in Amritsar, Singh noted the violence Sikhs have faced since Digwa's conviction. Digwa used a ceremonial knife, part of his Sikh religion, to stab Nowak.
Singh stated: 'Every single day since Monday, Sikhs up and down the country have been assaulted. Children, men, women, pensioners, doctors, people going shopping, people walking in the park. One person went to the gym and was told, "We're going to hang you by your turban". What if somebody gets killed?'
The march drew thousands of Sikhs to London in response to the protests and ongoing attacks.
