Senior police figures are pushing back against claims of anti-white bias in policing, warning that such assertions could set UK policing back decades. The leader of the National Black Police Association, Chief Inspector Andy George, said false accusations of bias against white people risk returning policing to the 1960s and 1970s, before reforms following the Stephen Lawrence murder.
The controversy follows the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton last December. Nowak was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed a racial attack. Police arriving at the scene handcuffed and arrested Nowak despite him stating he had been stabbed and could not breathe. His father, Mark Nowak, condemned the police treatment but urged that his son's death not be used to create division.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has faced widespread criticism for claiming the incident demonstrated two-tier policing and bias against white people, calling for “cold rage” in response. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Farage's actions as “unforgivable” and accused him of ignoring the family's wishes. Hampshire Chief Constable Alexis Boon apologised for the way Nowak was treated.
Former Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Andy Cooke stated he found no evidence of anti-white bias during his five-year tenure overseeing policing in England and Wales. He accused politicians like Farage of exploiting the case to boost their political fortunes and worsen community tensions. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the incident.
Police chiefs have ordered increased intelligence gathering on potential far-right violence after 11 officers were injured in clashes in Southampton following protests led by Tommy Robinson. Baroness Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen was murdered in 1993, expressed condolences to the Nowak family and criticised police handling of the case.
