Violence mars Notting Hill Carnival as eight people stabbed and hundreds arrested

The Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street festivals, was marred by violence last weekend in west London. According to the Metropolitan Police, eight people were stabbed during the three-day celebration of British Afro-Caribbean identity.

Updating on their policing operation late Monday, the Met said five people were stabbed on the final day of the event, following three knifings on Sunday. Three of the victims of the violence over the long weekend were left in a life-threatening condition.

The policing operation saw at least 230 arrests on Monday, including 49 for possession of an offensive weapon, on top of scores of arrests the previous day. Three firearms were seized, and 35 officers were injured during the event, which attracts around a million people annually over the August bank holiday weekend.

The policing numbers were similar to last year, when there were 10 stabbings and around 300 arrests. Despite the violence, hundreds of thousands of revellers packed the streets of west London for the carnival, filling the Notting Hill neighbourhood and surrounding districts with colour, costumes, dancing, and music.

Around 7,000 officers were on duty for the event, which has repeatedly been marred by violence, in particular knife crime. However, the Met’s deputy assistant commissioner Ade Adelekan said he was “tired of saying the same words every year” after a woman attending the carnival with her child was among those stabbed.

“We only very narrowly avoided a fatality,” he added, urging carnival-goers to report any crimes they witness. The celebration of British Afro-Caribbean culture dates back to the 1950s, with feathered dancers, steel bands, and earth-shaking sound systems featuring in the vibrant yearly event.

The AFP reported on the incident, highlighting the complex issue of violence at the carnival and the efforts of the Met to keep attendees safe.