Downing Street Responds to Vance's Comments on Henry Nowak's Murder
Downing Street has condemned "people trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division" following remarks made by JD Vance regarding the murder of Henry Nowak.
The US vice-president attributed the death of the 18-year-old British student, fatally stabbed in December by Vickrum Digwa, to the "mass invasion of migrants" and stated that the "only response is righteous anger".
After Vance's post on X, a Downing Street spokesman noted that the Nowak family "have said they do not want his death to be used to create further division".
"Our politics should bring people together even in the most terrible of circumstances. That is who we are as a country," the spokesman added.
Details of Vance's Post and Related Statements
In his post, Vance described the killing as "tragic as it is enraging," asserting that Nowak would still 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."
Vance's post echoed a statement from the US State Department on Thursday, which said:
"Ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilizational decline. They must be rejected across the West."
Reactions from UK Officials and Public Figures
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of "trying to whip up division" over Nowak's murder.
On Tuesday, Musk posted on X:
"Send the video to everyone you know showing how heinously Nowak was treated by the police in his dying moments and how the police cravenly kowtowed to his murderer."
Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed he had been racially abused and acted in self-defence, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday.
Following the release of bodycam footage showing police handcuffing the 18-year-old Nowak as he lay dying, violent protests occurred near the location of the killing in Southampton.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, stated:
"We all need to resist attempts like this to politicise Henry Nowak's death and divide our country - whether they come from MAGA politicians like Vance or their cronies here in the UK."
