Iceland boss says ‘two-tier policing’ happened in one of his London stores

The founder of a major British supermarket has echoed controversial claims that the UK has a ‘two-tier’ policing system after a ‘racist’ arrest at his north London store.

The claims were first made by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage following the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed as he was dying after his killer, Vickrum Digwa, claimed to have been the victim of racist abuse.

He said: ‘We need a change in culture. Enough of anti-white prejudice. A promotion of the idea that white lives matter just as much as Black lives.’

Iceland boss Sir Malcolm Walker has said he formally complained to Scotland Yard after a Black customer claimed to have been racially targeted by a store supervisor in north London after being spotted opening milk bottles from a fridge.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘There is two-tier policing. It isn’t just happening on the streets. We had an incident in a store in Enfield.’

Sir Malcolm said that when confronted by the shopkeeper, the customer got out his phone and complained about his treatment.

He said that it was his staff member who ended up arrested and held for up to three hours before the matter was dropped.

The chairman criticised the police response as ‘madness’ and’over-the-top’.

He added staff were subjected to abuse weekly, including being threatened with hypodermic needles or knives.

Most incidents were not reported to the police because ‘it doesn’t seem to make a difference’, he added.

His complaint was dismissed by both the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

The Met said it endeavoured to police ‘without fear or favour’ and aimed to serve all communities equally, adding the force’s decisions were based on ‘legal principles’.

A spokesperson for the force said: ‘As the public would expect, we police London without fear or favour and strive to serve all communities equally.

‘As society and politics become more polarised, it is vital policing remains impartial, and all operational decisions are grounded in legal principles.’

It said that officers attended the Enfield store in August 2024 following reports a member of the public had been subject to racially aggravated harassment by a member of staff.

A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of a public order offense.

He was later released on bail, while CCTV footage and witness evidence were examined.

Sir Malcolm’s complaint and his subsequent appeal to MOPAC were rejected after it was found police had acted reasonably and proportionately.

Responding to PMQs this week, Sir Keir Starmer rejected Mr Farage’s characterisation of policing.

He said he was shocked the Reform UK leader ‘pretends to have respect for Henry’s family and then acts in this way’, referring to wishes from Mr Nowak’s relatives for his death not to be used to cause division.

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