London, United Kingdom. U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday intervened in a British dispute over the murder of student Henry Nowak, linking the case to what he called civilizational decline and failures to stop mass migration. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office responded by urging respect for the family’s wishes and warning against using the death to deepen division.
Case details and police response
Last year, Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old white man, was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack. The killer, a Sikh man, was sentenced on Monday to life in prison.
Video footage showed officers ignoring Nowak’s pleas as he lay dying, raising questions over why police believed the allegation of racism rather than Nowak, who repeatedly said he had been stabbed and could not breathe.
Vance’s remarks
In a post on X, Vance said: “Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies: abandoned, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused of hate crimes he did not commit.”
He added: “Each time a life like his is lost, the proper response — the only response — is righteous anger.”
Vance also said Nowak would be alive today “if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it”.
Response from Starmer’s office
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, responding to Vance’s comments, said the Nowak family did not want his death to be used to create further division or hatred.
“We should respect their wishes,” the spokesperson said. “Even in the most terrible circumstances, our politics should bring people together. That is who we are as a country.”
Political reaction in Britain
The case has sparked widespread anger in Britain, with Nigel Farage and Elon Musk amplifying right-wing claims that the country has “two-tier policing,” in which fears of being called racist have led to ethnic minorities being given greater protections than others.
Starmer has said police had serious questions to answer about their handling of the incident, including how accusations of racism informed police thinking, and said an investigation is taking place.
He also condemned a violent and disorderly protest on Tuesday night and said it was “unforgivable” to exploit the death to stir tension after Farage called for people to respond with “pure cold rage.”