Three additional individuals have been formally accused in connection with the unrest during demonstrations in Southampton regarding the tragic death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Hampshire Police announced that Connor Bishop, aged 24 and residing on Oxford Street in Southampton, Reece Robinson, aged 21 from Soberton Road in Havant, and Noah Etherington, aged 18 from Rowbury Road in Havant, have been charged with engaging in violent disorder. They are scheduled to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in the morning on Friday.
This development follows the court appearance of Matt Styler and Daniel Frost the previous day, where they were detained. Frost, aged 44, admitted to charges of violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon, while Styler, aged 50, denied the accusation of assaulting a law enforcement officer.
The protests erupted in Southampton on Tuesday following the public release of body camera footage showing the distressing moments of Mr. Nowak being restrained as he was fatally injured.
Vickrum Digwa, aged 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday for the murder of the student in Southampton on December 3, 2025, using what was described by the judge as a “Sikh dagger.” Mr. Nowak was ambushed while walking home alone after socializing with his football teammates.
After the attack, Digwa misled officers at the scene, falsely claiming he was a victim of a racist assault, which led to the wrongful arrest of Mr. Nowak. As Mr. Nowak was being handcuffed, he repeatedly expressed being stabbed, to which an officer callously responded, “Don’t think you have, mate.”
The incident triggered widespread public anger over the police mishandling of the victim and sparked discussions about religious allowances for carrying bladed weapons. Hundreds gathered outside Southampton Central Police Station on Tuesday night, displaying ‘Unite the Kingdom’ banners and listening to speeches delivered by figures like far-right activist Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, among others.