December 2025. While Henry Nowak, a young 18-year-old student, returns from a pub in Southampton (England), he is suddenly attacked by Vickrum Digwa, a follower of the Sikh religion. The latter strikes him five times with a kirpan, a traditional dagger. Henry ended up dying when he was arrested by the English police who, convinced that he had hurled racist insults at his murderer, were handcuffing him to the ground.
If British law strictly prohibits the carrying of a knife in public spaces (under penalty of a sentence of up to four years in prison). Vickrum Digwa was perfectly within his rights in carrying this blade on his belt. Sikhs benefit from an exemption provided for by the Criminal Justice Act of 1988 (article 139), and reinforced by the Offensive Weapons Act of 2019, allowing them to circulate with these blades in the street, schools or public institutions, provided that they do not exceed 22 centimeters. These ceremonial daggers are among the fundamental symbols of the religion born around 500 years ago in what is now the Indian region of Punjab.
“In the United Kingdom, the so-called traditional approach is multiculturalism”
These exceptions are notably permitted by the absence of secularism in England, Fairgrieve Duncan, professor of comparative law at the University of Paris-Dauphine and “Senior Fellow in Comparative Law” at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, explains to Tangwall Campagin. “There is no separation between Church and State. This is a fundamental point of difference with France,” he insists.
Some of these exemptions are not new. For example, it was in 1976 that the Crown decided to exempt Sikhs from wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. A decision taken so that the faithful do not have to remove their turbans. “It’s more for political than historical reasons. In the United Kingdom, the so-called traditional approach is multiculturalism. Accommodations are made in favor of religious or ethnic minorities,” continues the specialist.
Towards legislative change?
In addition to these exemptions, several gaps in the British legal corpus are exploited by certain communities. In England, religious marriage has the same value as civil marriage. Dozens of Islamic courts have emerged in just a few years across the country. All apply Sharia law, the law of Islam. Around 100,000 marriages have already been registered before these courts, which take advantage of the gray areas of the legislation to exist.
The murder of Henry Nowak, and the controversies that resulted from it, relaunched the debate concerning the exceptional regime granted to certain communities. “Reform will repeal the exemption granted to Sikhs from wearing the kirpan”assured X Zia Yusuf, spokesperson for the Reform UK party.
“There is a debate around these exemptions. If the legislation is changed it will be a major change in the UK”says Fairgrieve Duncan. This Wednesday, the British police announced in any case that they would re-examine their directives against racism. A document for “an anti-racist police service”, broadcast in 2025, suggested, for example, that people should be treated differently based on their ethnic origin.
