The family of Henry Nowak have agreed to the release of police body-worn camera footage from the moments surrounding his death, saying they want “truth, accountability and change”, as political pressure mounts over policing and public confidence in law enforcement.

Kemi Badenoch said she had met Henry’s mother Lucy, father Mark and stepmother Katie, describing their decision as an “extraordinary act of courage” in the face of intense public scrutiny and unrest.

The Conservative leader said the family’s overriding aim was to ensure transparency in the investigation and to restore trust in policing standards, which she acknowledged had been “lost” in parts of the country following the case.

The release of the footage comes amid heightened tensions in Southampton, where violence broke out following the sentencing of Henry Nowak’s attacker. Police officers were reportedly targeted with bricks, bottles, bins, cans and even an e-scooter during disorder in the city.

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The Nowak family have repeatedly appealed for calm, urging supporters not to escalate tensions and calling for peaceful responses despite the unrest that has followed the case.

Badenoch used the meeting to call for a broader political and civic response, arguing that rebuilding confidence in the police requires engagement not only from government but also from community and religious leaders. She said there was an urgent need to “rebuild trust in the police” through cross-society cooperation.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “They have faced the agonising decision to release the harrowing body-worn camera footage, knowing how painful it would be and how strongly people would react.

“They did so because they want truth, accountability and change.

“They have asked that we work across political parties and religions to rebuild trust in the police.”

Today I have met Lucy, Mark and Katie, Henry Nowak’s mother, father and stepmother. Their courage is extraordinary.

They have endured the most appalling loss, it is a life sentence for them.

They have also faced the agonising decision to release the harrowing body-worn camera…

— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) June 4, 2026

Badenoch added: “That trust has been broken because of what happened, and I agree with them on that.

“We must also be prepared to examine, carefully and seriously, religious practices or exemptions that permit the carrying of dangerous weapons in public, and other activities that are not conducive to the public good. We also need to examine where the law needs to change.

“Henry’s family do not want anger to tear communities apart. They are a family who have friends across faith and race, and so did Henry.

“His family want his memory to help bring our society together. Everyone knows I have strong views about how we should deal with equality under the law.

“What the family agreed with me on is that we need to bring common sense back, and that is what we should all be fighting for. I promised the family that we will work to ensure there is a positive legacy for Henry out of this tragedy.”

The intervention adds to growing political sensitivity around the case, which has become the focus of wider debate over policing decisions, public confidence in law enforcement and the handling of high-profile criminal investigations.

While ministers have urged restraint and warned against politicising the case, opposition figures continue to press for greater scrutiny of how policing decisions were made in the lead-up to Henry Nowak’s death.

The release of bodycam footage is expected to intensify scrutiny further, as both political leaders and the public seek clarity over the sequence of events and the conduct of officers involved.

For now, attention remains split between the family’s calls for calm and accountability, and the wider political dispute over what the case reveals about trust in policing institutions across the UK.