A phrase once confined to the fringes of the far right has become a rallying cry across the UK: 'two-tier policing'. This week, it was echoed in parliament by Nigel Farage, on social media by Elon Musk, and on the streets by far-right figures like Tommy Robinson, as violent anti-police protests erupted in Southampton.
The tragic case that fueled the myth
The controversy stems from the death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa. In a series of tragic errors, police arrested Nowak as he lay dying, ignoring his pleas for help. For his father, the case highlights the dangers of knife crime. However, since Digwa's conviction, the narrative has been twisted: because Nowak was white and his attacker Asian, it is now used as 'proof' that white people face discrimination from police.
Government response and expert analysis
The government has rushed to counter the myth, with Keir Starmer meeting Nowak's family. But Joe Mulhall warns: 'It feels a little bit like the genie’s out the bottle, it’s hard to turn people’s minds back around.' Hugh Muir explains how the backlash against evidence-based policing reforms for black and minority communities has fueled the conspiracy.
The 'two-tier policing' myth, once a niche far-right theory, now permeates pubs, parliament, and talk radio. As violence erupts, experts question whether the damage can be undone.
