A 29-year-old man is in a critical condition and seven other men were stabbed as serious violence marred the Notting Hill Carnival in west London for the second year in a row.
The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said 75 officers had been assaulted during the two days of the carnival.
The Metropolitan Police Federation wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Once again Notting Hill Carnival marred by serious violence and attacks on police officers. 75 of our colleagues assaulted. Six bitten. One sexually assaulted. One in hospital. This is absolutely disgusting. No wonder our members dread policing this event.”
A spate of stabbings took place on Monday night as the two-day carnival—which was attended by around two million people—came to a close.
One man is in a critical condition in hospital after being stabbed near Harrow Road around 9 p.m. and a 19-year-old man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was stabbed an hour earlier in Ladbroke Grove.
The Metropolitan Police said six other men, aged between 18 and 40, suffered non-life threatening injuries in separate stabbings on Monday evening.
It is not clear if the stabbings were linked to gang rivalries which occasionally arise as members of different London gangs come across each other in the streets during carnival.
275 Arrests Over 2 Days
The police said there were 275 arrests across the two days of the carnival with charges varying from possession of offensive weapons, assaults on police officers, possession of drugs and sexual offences.Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who oversaw the policing operation, said: “It is regrettable that for a second year in a row, Monday night at carnival has been marred by serious violence.”
He said: “Nobody disputes the significance of carnival on London’s cultural calendar and the overwhelming majority of those who came will have had a positive experience. However, we cannot overlook the stabbings, sexual assaults and attacks on police officers that we have seen.”
Mr. Adeleekan said: “Carnival is a challenging policing environment. Officers were asked to be vigilant and alert but to be approachable, respectful and sensitive at the same time. They did all of that and more and they deserve our recognition and our thanks.”
Khan Says Carnival ‘Bigger and Better Than Ever’
Last week the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The community-led celebration of Caribbean history and culture embodies everything that makes London the greatest city in the world and, as we continue to work to build a fairer, more prosperous city for all, I’m delighted that it’s back, bigger and better than ever.”But there has been an increasing push recently for the event to be moved away from a residential area which is often hard to police because of the number of side streets and alleys.
Susan Hall, who is standing as the Conservative candidate for mayor of London in next May’s election, has in the past said it should be moved to a different location.
In 2020 Ms. Hall said, “Every year residents go through this hell” and added: “Why do we permit this vandalism every year?”
Last week Labour MP David Lammy said it was “astonishing” that a candidate for mayor of London should hold “offensive views” but a spokesman for Ms. Hall said she made, “no apology for condemning violence at public events and demonstrations” and celebrated diversity in London.
