The remarks came after Vance suggested that migration policies were partly responsible for the circumstances that led to the killing.
US Vice President JD Vance has criticised the UK’s handling of the murder of white teenager Henry Nowak by Vickrum Digwa, linking the case to what he described as a broader “civilisational decline” in the West. Downing Street, however, sharply rebuked the remarks, and said people are “trying to interfere in our democracy” and warning against attempts to exploit the tragedy for political purposes.
“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,” Vance’s post on X reads.
“He should still be alive today, and he would be 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.”
UK Criticizes Vance’s Response
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said the government would not support efforts by individuals “seeking to stir up division” following the teenager’s death. The remarks came after Vance suggested that migration policies were partly responsible for the circumstances that led to the killing.
Vance, a prominent advocate of stricter immigration controls, argued that Henry Nowak “would still be alive today” if Western governments had taken a tougher stance on migration. His comments quickly drew attention on both sides of the Atlantic, reigniting debate over immigration and public safety.
Responding to the controversy, Number 10 stressed that the focus should remain on the victim and his family rather than broader political arguments. Officials pointed to repeated appeals from the Nowak family for unity and restraint, urging people not to use the tragedy to deepen social divisions.
“The family’s wishes have been clear throughout,” a government spokesperson said, adding that attempts to inflame tensions were unhelpful at a time when the country should be supporting those affected by the killing.
Henry Nowak Murder Case
The killing of Henry Nowak has become a focal point in broader debates over policing, immigration and public safety. The teenager was handcuffed by officers as he lay critically wounded after being stabbed by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa in Southampton in December.
The case attracted international attention after it emerged that Digwa had initially misled police, claiming he was the victim and alleging that Nowak had directed racist abuse at him. The incident has since fuelled protests and become a rallying point for right-wing activists in Britain and abroad.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously met members of the Nowak family and echoed their calls for calm, insisting that justice for the victim should remain the central concern.
