Shropshire Star

Notting Hill Carnival: More than 370 arrests made over bank holiday weekend

One man was stabbed on Monday and 30 officers were injured at the event.

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Notting Hill Carnival

Police made more than 370 arrests at Notting Hill Carnival over the bank holiday weekend.

Monday night was “marred” by the only stabbing of the event, with a male receiving non-life-threatening injuries at around 8.10pm in Ladbroke Grove.

Scotland Yard said 30 officers were injured “in the line of duty”.

According to the Metropolitan Police Federation, two were spat at in the face and had to be taken to hospital, while in another incident three officers were bitten, one of whom was also taken to hospital.

Inspector Richard Berns, who is based in Camden, said on Twitter: “Five of my officers were violently attacked at #NottingHillCarnival. Three punched in the face. One bitten and headbutted, and another jumped on from behind.

“Three suspects arrested and one more will follow (ran off but we know who he is). Totally unacceptable!”

Another suspect drove a motorbike at officers, hitting a police motorcyclist, and then sped off, sparking a chase from Notting Hill to Northolt involving the police helicopter.

The suspect was wanted on suspicion of grievous bodily harm against the officer, and was arrested for dangerous driving and failing to stop.

As of 10.15pm on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said they had made 240 arrests on the Bank Holiday Monday and 133 on Sunday, which included 10 made by the British Transport Police (BTP).

A further 12 arrests were made by BTP on Monday.

Officers detained 156 people on drugs offences, 69 on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and nine on suspicion of sexual offences.

Among the items seized were knives, a metal pole and a Taser.

Last year some 313 arrests were carried out.

Notting Hill Carnival Gold Commander Dave Musker said: “We would like to thank all those who took to the streets to celebrate everything that the carnival stands for, in a kind and considerate manner.

“However Monday night was marred by the news of a non-life-threatening stabbing at around 8.10pm in Ladbroke Grove. Thankfully this was the only incident of this nature throughout the whole weekend.”

He added: “I am very pleased with the results of the screening arches and the Section 60 order; 36 offensive weapons were taken off the streets by my officers and 373 arrests were made over the course of the weekend, which we expect could rise.

“Although I am happy with how the event ran overall, once again 30 of my colleagues were injured in the line of duty. Any assault on police is unacceptable.”

Dancers at the Notting Hill Carnival in west London (Yui Mok/PA)
Dancers at the Notting Hill Carnival in west London (Yui Mok/PA)

Steve O’Connell, chairman of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee said: “The number of injuries sustained by police officers is still unacceptably high and is a disgrace when those officers are there to help ensure Europe’s biggest street event remains peaceful.”

On both Sunday and Monday, the carnival fell silent as thousands of people paid tribute to Grenfell Tower victims.

At 3pm, revellers marked 72 seconds of silence in memory of the 72 people who died following the fire in June last year.

The tower block is within half a mile of the parade route.

Police were operating with enhanced stop-and-search powers in a bid to crack down on violence.

Scotland Yard imposed a Section 60 order across the carnival area between 9am and 11.59pm. The order allowed officers to search people if they believed they were carrying offensive weapons or in anticipation of violence.

The bank holiday weekend event was policed by the highest number of officers in six years.

Almost 7,000, some from the Metropolitan Police’s newly formed Violent Crime Task Force, policed Monday’s event to “combat the threat of violent crime”.

After a wave of violent crime in the capital in recent months, Scotland Yard announced knife arches had been placed at “strategic points” along the route to help reassure people about their safety, though officials did not disclose where.

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