When ‘White Racism’ Trumps Black Murder

n December 3rd last year, 18-year-old Henry Nowak, a first-year student at the University of Southampton, was stabbed four times by his alleged attacker, Vickrum Digwa. As a Sikh, Digwa was permitted to carry a ceremonial kirpan knife. Perhaps this wasn’t butch enough, however, so he decided to complete his arsenal with an 8-inch blade or shastar (a Punjabi word for ‘weapon’ or ‘knife’), just to be on the safe side. The trial at Southampton Crown Court has heard how Digwa “aggressively pursued” his victim, inflicted the fatal wounds, and stood over him as he bled. In Snapchat footage recorded moments before the attack, Nowak taunted Digwa to say he was a bad man. Digwa replied: “I am a bad man.” He did not call for help.

Here’s the problem for Nowak: he was white; his assailant was not. Which means Digwa was perfectly within his rights to play the race card and did so to maximum effect.

When the police arrived at the scene, they handcuffed the collapsed victim (which must have been a relief to those concerned about where his blood was going). According to bodycam footage played in court, Nowak repeatedly told the officers that he had been stabbed and “couldn’t breathe.” They still handcuffed him. The police eventually decided to render first aid, shortly before Nowak lost consciousness. The ironic parallels with George Floyd are so obvious I feel I need comment no further. 

Digwa, meanwhile, claimed he acted in “self-defence,” faced with the unspeakable violence of Nowak’s alleged “racial abuse.” Despite the four fatal stab wounds, the fact that Nowak’s phone was later discovered in Digwa’s pocket, and the revelation that Digwa’s mother was allegedly filmed removing and disposing of the knife, Digwa’s barrister shamefully instructed jurors to decide whether the murderer acted “in the heat of the moment.”