Hundreds gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station on Tuesday night following the release of body-worn video footage from the night the 18-year-old University of Southampton student was killed.
Among those who addressed the crowd were Tommy Robinson and Laurence Fox, with protesters demanding answers over police actions in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and possession of a weapon after tensions escalated during the demonstration.
The protest later moved towards the Digwa family home on St Denys Road and descended into disorder, with police reporting bottles being thrown, makeshift weapons being used, and damage being caused to homes and vehicles in the area.
Hampshire Chief Constable Alexis Boon said: “We understand and appreciate as police officers that we are accountable for our actions.
“What we ask, however, is that those actions are judged through fair and transparent processes. In this case, that process is already underway with the IOPC conducting their independent investigation.
“What we, as a society, cannot accept is the violent scenes we saw in Southampton last night.
“Some clearly arrived intent on causing disorder and trouble. We saw bottles thrown, makeshift weapons used, damage caused to the homes and vehicles of innocent residents, and threats and violence directed towards our officers.”
LIVE UPDATES: Outcry after protest over Henry Nowak murder turns ugly
The force said 11 officers and one police dog were injured during the disorder. Police have indicated further arrests are expected as investigations continue.
The unrest comes after the conviction of 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa for the murder of Henry Nowak.
Alexis Boon named as preferred choice for Hampshire chief constable (Image: OPPC Communications)
Eleven police officers and a police dog were injured after violence broke out during a protest in Southampton over the handling of the Henry Nowak murder case.
Hundreds gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station on Tuesday night following the release of body-worn video footage from the night the 18-year-old University of Southampton student was killed.
Among those who addressed the crowd were Tommy Robinson and Laurence Fox, with protesters demanding answers over police actions in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and possession of a weapon after tensions escalated during the demonstration.
The protest later moved towards the Digwa family home on St Denys Road and descended into disorder, with police reporting bottles being thrown, makeshift weapons being used, and damage being caused to homes and vehicles in the area.
Hampshire Chief Constable Alexis Boon said: “We understand and appreciate as police officers that we are accountable for our actions.
“What we ask, however, is that those actions are judged through fair and transparent processes. In this case, that process is already underway with the IOPC conducting their independent investigation.
“What we, as a society, cannot accept is the violent scenes we saw in Southampton last night.
“Some clearly arrived intent on causing disorder and trouble. We saw bottles thrown, makeshift weapons used, damage caused to the homes and vehicles of innocent residents, and threats and violence directed towards our officers.”
The force said 11 officers and one police dog were injured during the disorder. Police have indicated further arrests are expected as investigations continue.
The unrest comes after the conviction of 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa for the murder of Henry Nowak.
Henry, a finance student originally from Essex, was stabbed in Southampton on December 3, 2025, while walking home after a night out with friends.
During his trial, jurors heard Digwa was carrying a large knife, known as a kirpan, when he encountered Henry in Portswood.
Prosecutors said Digwa stabbed the teenager five times before falsely claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack.
Police and protesters face off in St Denys Road, Southampton, on June 2 after a protest over the arrest of murder victim Henry Nowak turned ugly. (Image: Max Vickery)
Digwa later repeated that account to police officers who arrived at the scene. However, a jury rejected his version of events and found him guilty of murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.
Public anger has grown following the release of police bodycam footage showing officers interacting with both men after the attack.
The footage showed officers putting Henry in handcuffs after he repeatedly told them he had been stabbed.
The release of the footage has prompted questions about decision-making at the scene and whether officers wrongly treated Henry as a suspect while accepting Digwa’s account of events.
It has been confirmed that the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the actions of officers involved.
READ MORE: Two arrested made following disorder in Southampton
Chief Constable Boon continued: “While we are forced to deal with those determined to spark fear and division, our finite resources are taken away from those who need it most.
“I know how intimidating the scenes from last night must have been for those living and working in the area and, to you, I must stress, we have incredibly experienced teams of officers who are working around the clock to keep you safe – that is our absolute priority.
“You will see more of my officers patrolling your neighbourhoods over the coming days and specialist intelligence teams are supporting those on the frontline.
“My officers bravely and robustly faced violence with professionalism and courage last night and this morning our investigation is underway to identify those responsible for the disorder.
“Last night, we made two arrests and that number will rise as those investigations continue.
“I know that since the release of the body-worn video footage from the night of Henry Nowak’s murder, there is a desire for answers and accountability but that must be done in the right way and not used as an excuse to threaten and intimidate my officers and bring violence to our streets, causing fear and harm to those living and working in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.”
Additional patrols are expected to remain in place across Southampton as police continue their investigation into the disorder.