Two Face Charges Following Violence at Henry Nowak Demonstration

Two individuals have been formally charged in connection with violent confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers near the location where 18-year-old Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed.

On Tuesday evening, tensions escalated near the residence of Nowak’s attacker, Vickrum Digwa, in Southampton’s Portswood district. During the unrest, officers were struck by projectiles, resulting in injuries to 11 police officers and one police dog.

Hampshire Police announced that Matt Styler, 50, who has no fixed address and hails from Gosport, has been charged with assaulting an emergency worker. Additionally, Daniel Frost, 44, of Northam Road, Southampton, faces charges of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. Both men are scheduled to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court later today.

The charges emerge shortly after Digwa, 23, was sentenced on Monday. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder. The recent violence has intensified scrutiny regarding the police handling of the initial incident, specifically why officers detained Nowak while he was still alive and bleeding, rather than arresting Digwa.

Digwa admitted to stabbing Nowak with a large knife, which he claimed was carried for religious purposes. However, he deceived first responders at the scene by falsely alleging he was the target of a racist assault. Consequently, officers arrested Nowak instead of his attacker.

Subsequent release of body-worn camera footage revealed Nowak, restrained in handcuffs, repeatedly informing the officers that he had been stabbed. In response to the controversy surrounding the force's actions, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has initiated a formal investigation into the police response.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 08:14:59 UTC