Paul Woolley writes about 'A Jesus-like response to Henry Nowak’s murder'.
Last week, Vikrum Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak. The case drew international attention – and the release of police bodycam footage showing Henry being handcuffed as he lay dying has led to intense scrutiny of the police response. The footage, released with the permission of Henry’s family, shows him pleading, ‘I can’t breathe’ and ‘I’ve been stabbed’, only for an officer to reply, ‘I don’t think you have, mate.’
This article is from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity section on Connecting with Culture.
The distressing images have prompted calls for a public inquiry and reignited debates about knife crime, race, policing, and public trust. Commenting on the incident, Reform leader Nigel Farage called on people to respond to Henry’s death with ‘pure, cold rage’.
How should we respond to such comments?
First, we should recognise that anger is a legitimate emotion. Indeed, the circumstances surrounding Henry’s death should provoke anger. He was murdered, and his treatment was inhumane and degrading. Anger is often the natural and morally appropriate response to injustice. A society that feels no anger in the face of suffering risks becoming indifferent to it.
Second, politicians should avoid politicising either their own anger or the anger of others. In an interview with Trevor Phillips, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy argued that there was a distinction between his call for ‘righteous anger’, following George Floyd’s death in 2020, and Nigel Farage’s call for ‘rage’ after Henry Nowak’s death. The distinction may not be as clear-cut as some suggest. Both appeals draw on powerful emotions and seek to channel public outrage in response to injustice.
Third, public figures must recognise that their words carry weight. Whether speaking of ‘righteous anger’ or ‘pure, cold rage’, politicians should take care not to inflame already tense situations for political advantage. This concern was evident in the extraordinarily dignified response of Henry’s family. Following the verdict, his father said, ‘We do not want Henry’s death to be used to create further division, hatred, or tension.’
In the Gospels, Jesus’ anger was directed towards hypocrisy, the exploitation of the vulnerable, and anything that prevented people from experiencing God’s love and healing. For his followers, the lesson is clear. There are times when anger is not only understandable but necessary. Yet anger must be directed towards justice rather than vengeance. The challenge is not whether we feel anger, but what we do with it.
Paul Wooley is CEO at LICC
This article is from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity section on Connecting with Culture.
Image: Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash