Violence Isn't The Answer

This week I have been moved to write about my old home city of Southampton and the murder of Henry Nowak. This isn't a subject I write or indeed vlog about lightly, because of the harrowing circumstances of Henry's death. Equally, writing about a subject that in truth I know very little about isn't always best. However, because of my close connection with Southampton, I felt compelled to say something about events unfolding in my old home city.

I moved to Southampton in 1992, when I left home and attended university in the city. It is a place I fell in love with and will always hold a special place in my heart. This port city on the south coast of England is a bastion of multiculturalism and diversity and was a remarkable place to transition into adulthood. Coming from a small village, I was shocked at the sheer size of this wondrous city. I had never experienced ethnic diversity before and was awed by a place that appealed to my sense of adventure and acceptance. I embraced Southampton precisely because it wasn't my sheltered hometown, and for the colour and vibrancy that shone brightly throughout the city.

Henry was murdered because his killer was an evil criminal, and not because he was a Sikh. His murderer, Vickrum Digwa, was a lunatic who decided to take the life of a young student. That doesn't make all Sikhs evil; it makes that single individual wicked and depraved. Watching the news from the UK this week, you could be forgiven for thinking a whole community was tarred with the same brush. The actions of Vickrum should have no bearing on the Sikh community as a whole.

Seeing riots from Southampton was a shocker for me. In all the years I had lived there, I never witnessed anything like it. I am also well aware that I can only comment on a situation portrayed by the media, with its own political agenda. Yes, media bias is alive and well in the UK, whether through right-leaning newspapers or television stations with the same focus. I am mindful of the sensitive nature of this case as well, and don't want to comment on subjects I have little knowledge of.

I didn't recognise the city where I went to university this week. Southampton, the all-embracing city I once loved, had turned into a hate-fuelled, violent place that had danced to the tune of intolerance. The far right had used the death of a young man to create division. Watching people riot in streets I used to walk down, who probably couldn't give a damn about the death of Henry, was sickening. Henry's father had called for calm, in contrast to scenes playing out on the streets of Southampton.

Populist politicians are good at stoking hate because that is the one thing that gives them legitimacy. Blaming minority groups for everything that is wrong with the world is just a political football for these people. Believe me, I know this from previous experience. When I was young, gay people were also considered fair game. Our perceived differences were used to justify policies and views that most would consider abhorrent today. Yes, the death of someone is a time to reflect on what happened, but it isn't a time to burn down your neighbour's house, in the metaphorical sense.

Watching the police ignore the pleas of a dying lad, who told them he had been stabbed and needed help, numerous times was harrowing. The police and their unequal treatment of Henry, compared to the murderer, was shocking to see. But only they can answer for their behaviour, and it is not for me to judge whether they were right or wrong. I am not a trained police officer; I have no idea how they have been trained to confront these complex situations. As a layman, I can see the way this was handled was wrong in my eyes, but this is the fault of a Government that introduced policies that failed to address the circumstances of Henry's death. The rules were not there to protect this young student; they were there to protect the rights of his killer, and yes, that is shameful!

Rioting is never the answer, and politicians should use their words wisely. Creating division, where there was none, for political gain is reprehensible. All of us should reject the politics of hate and work towards a more just world, where everyone, regardless of the colour of their skin, is treated equally! Henry deserved dignity and help; his legacy shouldn't be tainted by acrimony and intolerance!

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