Protesters confront police as one holds up a picture of Henry Nowak at Portswood Police station near where Nowak was killed in Southhampton, England, on June 2, 2026. (Finnbarr Webster / Getty Images)
By Samuel Short June 4, 2026 at 4:52am
The British citizenry has absolutely had enough of the United Kingdom’s two-tiered police force.
After body camera footage from December was released showing the gross incompetence of law enforcement as they handcuffed an innocent young man who had been stabbed after his murderer lied about a “racist attack,” protests erupting in Southampton, the city where 18-year-old Henry Nowak tragically passed away.
The U.K.’s police force is largely neutered; they will let roving bands of Pakistani men traffic and rape young girls if it means they aren’t called racist.
They will also allow Islam to flourish – in the aforementioned manner or otherwise – without a second thought for the sake of tolerance and diversity.
However, one thing they simply won’t stand for are native born Brits being outraged, protesting the horrible job they’ve done. Footage posted Tuesday to social media platform X from Southampton is evidence of just that as an officer repeatedly knees a protestor as a mob of officers restrain him.
British police officers kicks a Henry Nowak protester as he’s pinned down on the ground by several other officers pic.twitter.com/TjaaLauPZQ
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 2, 2026
Are you surprised that the UK cops knelt for Floyd but won’t kneel for Nowak?
Several officers can be seen with riot shields while others hold down the man in question. You can clearly see at least three knee strikes from one officer.
The footage is inverse of the incident in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May 2020 in involving 46-year-old George Floyd. Floyd was being restrained as he overdosed on fentanyl after trying to use counterfeit money.
Here, a man protesting the British police turning against their own is beaten for having the nerve to stand up for a dead 18-year-old student.
Up close footage posted to X shows a conversation between protestors and one officer, leaving nothing to question about their grievances.
WARNING: The following footage contains language some readers may find offensive.
HAPPENING NOW: Southampton Police station
Protestors in Southampton are FURIOUS
“Take the knee and pay your respect for Henry”
“We are fucking tired of you and every police officer in the force. Your Leftist ideology is warped and ruining the country” pic.twitter.com/kj5NGgFJtI
— Kosher (@koshercockney) June 2, 2026
“Take a knee and pay your respect for Henry,” one protestor told the officer. “Your officers assisted in that man’s death.
‘“We are fucking tired of you, him [motioning to another officer] and every police officer in the force. Your left ideology is warped, and it is ruining the country”
The officer tried to provide an explanation, but understandably, neither of the protestors were going to listen. These officers have nothing to say that could explain their way out of this. A young man is dead and it’s their fault.
The U.K. police took a knee for George Floyd. Prime Minister Keir Starmer did as well.
Why aren’t they taking a knee for Nowak? He was not a career criminal, high on drugs. He was not caught in the act of breaking the law.
He had his life ahead of him before being murdered; he committed no crime.
The answer is clear.
Nowak is white. To the police and Starmer, he does not matter.
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Sam Short is an Assistant Professor of History with Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee. He holds a BA in History from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in History from University College London. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Motlow State Community College.
