Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has continued to deny that two-tier policing exists in Britain following the U.S. State Department’s criticism of the handling of white teenager Henry Nowak’s murder.
The dispute erupted after the U.S. State Department condemned “two-tiered policing” in the United Kingdom on Thursday, specifically referencing Nowak’s death. Prime Minister Starmer and his government have steadfastly rejected allegations of two-tier policing, despite Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage providing evidence that police guidance and training encourage treating ethnic groups differently to foster “equity.”
The conflict intensified when the State Department posted a message on X offering condolences to Nowak’s family while condemning “ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing” across Western nations. British Justice Secretary David Lammy and Downing Street have both dismissed the accusation, insisting there is no evidence of unequal policing practices.
Bodycam footage released after Henry Nowak’s death shows officers handcuffing the teenager as he lay dying because his killer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed to be racist. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the police response, and a coroner has scheduled an inquest into whether police actions or delays contributed to his death.
A Labour government spokesman stated: “We do reject any suggestion of two-tier policing across the United Kingdom.”
The case has intensified international scrutiny of British policing practices toward white individuals and sparked tensions between the British government and the Trump administration, which previously expressed concerns about free speech in Britain. Nigel Farage has asserted that Nowak’s mistreatment underscores widespread “anti-white prejudice” within the British state.
Additionally, the White House has historically raised concerns about “civilizational decline” in Europe, questioning the continent’s social and institutional resilience in national security strategies highlighting issues such as censorship and mass migration.
