Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in Southampton, England, Tuesday, after 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa was found guilty of murdering 18-year-old student Henry Nowak. Digwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.
Nowak was repeatedly stabbed in December as he walked home from a night out. Digwa initially told police he was the victim of a racist attack, leading officers to handcuff the dying Nowak. Bodycam footage shows Nowak telling police he had been stabbed and "can't breathe."
The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the violence as "completely unacceptable."
A coalition of Sikh community groups issued a statement calling the murder a "moment of madness," but said the wider community had faced "considerable abuse and hate" during the trial, particularly over misunderstandings about the Kirpan-a small blade worn as part of the Sikh religious uniform. Prosecutors noted Digwa carried a standard Kirpan as well as a large dagger.