In 2024,Paul Birch, a 57‑year‑old officer with 24 years of counter‑terrorism experience ,left the Metropolitan Police after a mandatory anti‑racism course sparked his public challenge to a historic narrative about the Empire Windrush. He also linked the force’s new ideological focus to the controversial handling of 18‑year‑old Henry Nowak’s fatal stabbing by Hampshire Constabulary.

Birch’s Public Rebuttal of the Empire Windrush Narrative

During a leadership session in a suburban training centre , Birch disputed the claim that Caribbean migrants were forcibly rounded up and placed aboard the Empire Windrush, arguing the story was an attempt to conflate 20th‑century economic migration with the Atlantic slave trade. He said the misinformation, spread by “experts,” demonstrated the force’s “ideological capture” and a “top‑down obsession with political correctness.”

Ideological Shift Tied to Henry Nowak Stabbing Response

Birch contends that the same ideological transformation influenced Hampshire Constabulary’s reaction to the December stabbing of Henry Nowak,an 18‑year‑old vicitm of a Sikh man, Vickrum Digwa, who claimed a racial assault. Birch highlighted that at least four officers arrived at the scene—a number he says is unusual for a burglary or theft—suggesting the incident was escalated because Digwa reported a “racist assault,” triggering a “serious incident” status.

Metropolitan Police’s London Race Action Plan as Evidence

After leaving the force, Birch presented a document titled the London Race Action Plan, authored by Dr Shereen Daniels of the African Diaspora Economic Inclusion Foundation. He points to the plan’s “trigger warning for black readers” as proof of an activist‑driven agenda permeating policing policy.

Who Remains Unaccounted for in Birch’s Claims?

Birch’s allegations raise specific questions: which senior officials authorized the anti‑racism curriculum that spurred his departure, and how many other officers share his view of an “ideological capture”? The source does not name any other dissenting officers or provide internal police responses to his accusations.

What Remains Unverified About the Nowak Case?

While Birch asserts that the presence of four officers indicates bias, the report does not disclose official statements from Hampshire Constabulary or any independent review confirming that the alleged racial motive altered the response protocol.