Three people have been stabbed while 15 officers have been assaulted and 90 people have been arrested on opening ‘Family Day’ of this year’s Notting Hill Carnival, the Metropolitan Police said in the latest update.
The Met said they are aware of three stabbings which have seen a 32-year-old woman in hospital in a life-threatening condition, a 29-year-old man in hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The condition of a 24-year-old man who was stabbed in currently unknown.
The force also issued a Section 60 in the area, granting them greater search powers to prevent further violence and a Section 60AA which ‘gives officers the power to order the removal of face coverings being used to conceal a person’s identity’. Anyone who refuses such an order can be arrested.
A Section 60 order, otherwise known as stop and search, has also been authorised for the Carnival area from 6.05pm to 2am as part of an intensive police operation.
This gives officers greater powers to search suspects and remove weapons from the streets.
A Section 60AA order is also now in place – allowing officers to order the removal of face coverings being used to conceal a person’s identity.
A man is detained in handcuffs and taken away by police at Queensway station on the first day of the annual Notting Hill Carnival
Police search a man at Notting Hill Carnival – it comes as the government was faced with accusations of two tier policing as they tackle violent crime, protests and riots UK-wide
A police officer watches as revellers attend Notting Hill Carnival. The event celebrating Caribbean culture has taken place over the summer bank holiday most years since 1966
Police officers on horses patrol the streets on the first day of this year’s Notting Hill Carnival
Police officers at the Children’s Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration in west London
Police patrol the area during the Children’s Parade of the Notting Hill Carnival. So far, 38 people have been arrested
Police watch as revellers attend Notting Hill Carnival. Notting Hill is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK
The Met stressed that the ‘majority of the people’ who attended the event ‘came to enjoy themselves’.
Earlier today, an ex-inspector has claimed that Notting Hill Carnival is ‘the ultimate in two-tier policing’ – as more than 1million people prepared to descend on west London to enjoy the festivities.
Notting Hill is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK and celebrates Caribbean culture with vividly costumed performers taking part in a parade through the streets with dancing and music.
But carnivals in the past have also been marred by violence. There were eight stabbings and 275 arrests at the 2023 event and 7,000 Met Police officers are set to be deployed onto the streets of Kensington.
Despite the high number of arrests and heavy police presence, a retired Met Police detective chief inspector has alleged that officers are hesitant to make arrests during the event for fears of being called racist.
Mike Neville spoke to the Daily Telegraph where he leaned into the growing conspiracy theory that two-tier policing exists in Britain.
A reveller takes part in the Children’s Day Parade. The Met stressed that the majority of attendees came to enjoy themselves
A reveller wears a mask during Notting Hill Carnival. Thousands of people attend the carnival each year
A close up of the reveller’s ornate mask encrusted with jewels during the Children’s Day Parade
Participants taking part in the Children’s Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration
Parades at the Notting Hill Carnival which celebrates Afro Carribean culture. A young girl takes part in the Family Day
A young parade participant wears a colourful costume on the first day of this year’s Notting Hill Carniva
Participants smile, wave and blow whistles during the parades at the Notting Hill Carnival
Thousands of people pack the streets on the first day of this year’s Notting Hill Carnival
Revellers spray themselves and spectators with colourful paint and powder on the first day of this year’s Notting Hill Carnival
Participants taking part in the Children’s Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration in west London
A large group of revellers wearing pink t-shirts arrive at the Notting Hill Carnival and celebrations are in full swing
Participants performing in the Children’s Day Parade at the Notting Hill Carnival
A team of police officers at the Children’s Day Parade on the Notting Hill Carnival. An inspector has claimed the event is ‘the ultimate in two-tier policing’
Over 7,000 officers have been deployed to keep order at the two-day festival
Crowds head towards the Carnival, which is expected to attract over two million people over the weekend
Police controlling crowds on the parade route with barriers
Revellers draped in the Jamaican flag take part in the celebrations
Crowds march down streets in west London for the annual parade
A man covered in colourful face paint is directed towards the parade in west London
A man wearing an Arsenal football shirt enjoys the celebrations on Portobello Road
Revellers attend the Carnival, which is known to be family-friendly on Sunday
A woman wearing the colours of the Jamaican flag at the carnival
People serving food at a stand outside a church near the parade route in Notting Hill
Members of Mangrove Steelband performing during Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening
Mike Neville (pictured) spoke to the Daily Telegraph where he leaned into the growing conspiracy theory that two-tier policing exists in Britain
He said: If the behaviour of the Notting Hill Carnival was replicated at football matches or any other event it would be banned.’
Mr Neville has claimed that many revellers at the event openly smoke illegal drugs in front of police officers without fear of arrest as proof of his allegation.
Scotland Yard rejected claims that it applies two-tier policing at the event.
Commander Chairman Brenyah told the Telegraph that the force has search powers that will use to take weapons off the street and intervene with anyone committing violence.
Commander Brenyah did admit that the sheer weight of numbers attending presents a potential danger and is a ‘serious cause for concern.’
Businesses and residents have boarded up their properties in preparation for the carnival.
On Saturday, performers competed in Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening, which is the UK’s biggest steelband competition and sees five bands play a ten-minute composition from memory with no sheet music allowed.
Children’s Day is held on Sunday, featuring family-friendly activities and a parade, where youngsters in colourful costumes are encouraged to dance in the streets.
It is sometimes known as Family Day.
Kinetika Bloco taking part in the Children’s Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration in west London
Notting Hill is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK and celebrates Caribbean culture with vividly costumed performers taking part in a parade through the streets with dancing and music
A lady enjoying Family Day at Notting Hill Carnival
Around 7,000 police officers will be on patrol in Kensington as over a million people attend Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival parade route will take place over a three and a half mile loop, beginning and ending at Westbourne Park Tube station
The Adults’ Parade is held on Monday, described by organisers as the climax of the carnival with ‘party vibes’ – but it is also where most arrests are made.
Met spokesperson Commander Charmain Brenyah said she had grown up near where the event is held in west London and has ‘many happy memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere’.
But she added: ‘Sadly, however, we know that for a minority of people, Carnival is an opportunity to commit crime or to seek out violent confrontation.’
The Met have promised a very significant and proportionate policing presence.
‘Officers have been briefed around their powers and they are aware of their powers,’ explained Commander Brenyah.
‘They’re going to be acting proportionately. The main focus of the event is make sure we support a safe and secure carnival.’
The Met said it will be deploying a specialist crowd management cell for the second year in a row, to monitor crowd density and flow.
In order to staff the event, Met officers will be joined by colleagues from the City of London Police and the British Transport Police.
A pub is boarded up in preparation for the Notting Hill Carnival in London
Children’s Day is held on Sunday, featuring family-friendly activities and a parade, where youngsters in colourful costumes are encouraged to dance in the streets
Members of Mangrove Steelband performing during Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening
A person dancing as participants perform during Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening
Participants performing during Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening
Participants performing during Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama evening
Crowds pack the streets on the second day of Notting Hill Carnival on August 28, 2023
A young man waves around a machete at Notting Hill Carnival in West London last year
Rick Prior, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said many ‘hard-working’ officers will be ‘missing valuable time to rest and be at home with loved ones’ to police the event.
‘We wish our hard-working colleagues a safe and secure policing operation at the Notting Hill Carnival,’ he said.
‘Many are missing valuable time to rest and be at home with loved ones to work across the bank holiday weekend at this demanding event.’
Transport for London (TfL) urged people travelling to the carnival to plan their journeys in advance as it warned some stations could be much busier than usual.
The Labour Party described the event – which was first held in the 1960s – as a ‘vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture and black history through music, art and dance’ in a social media post on Saturday.