Notting Hill Carnival ‘most peaceful for years’ say police after 420 arrests

This year’s Notting Hill Carnival has been the most peaceful in years, with far fewer incidents of serious violence, the Metropolitan Police said.

So far, there have been 423 arrests over the two main days, including 46 for possession of an offensive weapon.

There have been two stabbings, one in Powis Terrace and one in Oxford Gardens, but neither resulted in life-threatening injuries.

Thousands of people lined the route in warm conditions, with temperatures reaching 26C.

Bands and floats representing the Caribbean, African and Brazilian diaspora paraded through west London for the final day of celebrations today.

As of 7.45pm, the number of arrests on Monday was 223, with 177 at the carnival itself and 46 on the approaches. Last year, there were 230 arrests on the final day.

Scotland Yard said 52 of this year’s total arrests were as a result of identifications using live facial recognition (LFR).

Cameras were placed on the approach to and from the event in an effort to spot suspects before the streets became crowded.

It comes after Cher Maximen, 32, died after being stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter last year.

Mussie Imnetu, 41, a Dubai-based chef, sustained head injuries in an attack after the event.

They both died in hospital and their killers were jailed this year.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward, the policing commander for Notting Hill Carnival, said: ‘This year we have proactively targeted those who have attempted to come to carnival to cause harm to others.

‘We have used live facial recognition, knife arches and our stop and search powers to identify and arrest more than 400 suspects. These arrests have prevented some of the serious violence we have seen at previous carnivals.’

In a further statement, the Met added: ‘The event is still in its latter stages and we are not being at all complacent, but we have seen far fewer incidents of serious violence than in recent years.’

The carnival, Europe’s biggest street party and an annual extravaganza over the summer bank holiday weekend, helps celebrate Caribbean culture and history.

The three-mile parade showcases fantastic masquerade dancing, soca, calypso, steel bands and sound systems as people in stunning and elaborate costumes dance their way through London.

Every year more than a million people attend Notting Hill Carnival, a mix of locals and tourists, with attendance of up to two million recorded in previous years.

The first-ever Notting Hill Carnival was held in 1966 and is a stunning spectacle and celebration of British Caribbean culture.

But the first carnival was not just put on to celebrate – it was in response to race riots and the murder of Antiguan-born Kelso Cochrane, who was killed aged 32 in 1959.

His death was the result of a racially-motivated attack, and it’s thought there were more than 1,200 people at his funeral.

A children’s street fayre held in the mid-60s, aimed at bringing together people of all races in the Notting Hill locality, would eventually morph into what we know as the carnival today.

This was organised by resident and activist Rhaune Laslett.

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