Around 7,000 police officers will be deployed from various units across London this weekend as Notting Hill Carnival returns.
Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met’s spokesperson for this year’s event, said: “Having grown up not far from where Carnival takes place I have many happy memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere.
“That is the experience I want everyone coming to Carnival this year to have and we will work closely with the organisers and partners to make that a reality.
“Sadly, however, we know that for a minority of people, Carnival is an opportunity to commit crime or to seek out violent confrontation.
“As a police officer on duty in previous years I’ve seen both the Carnival I experienced in my youth, but also the other side of the same event when, later in the day, the atmosphere changes in some parts, with floats and costumes giving way to serious violence.
“It was a challenging environment to work in and one which over the past two years has seen more than 500 arrests, 15 stabbings including one that was fatal, and more than 125 police officers assaulted. These incidents can’t be downplayed or dismissed.
“It is for that reason that anyone going to Carnival will see a very significant policing presence. We’re there to keep you safe – if you see us say hello – but we’re also there to intervene decisively against those intent on violence.”
Around 7,000 police officers will be on duty to keep everyone safe and respond to any incidents at the event. These officers, from local teams and specialist units, will be supported by the City of London Police and the British Transport Police. This operation has been planned for months, working closely with event organisers, local authorities, and other partners to ensure a secure Carnival.
Officers will be on the lookout for anyone intent on causing trouble, using their search powers to remove weapons from the streets if needed. Although there’s no sign that those involved in recent unrest plan to attend, the police are ready to act quickly if necessary.
Commander Brenyah said: “The location of Carnival is deeply rooted in its history and we recognise the significance it holds for many. But numbers have grown so significantly over the years that the scale of the modern day event is unrecognisable compared to that which began decades ago.
“Any event of this size that takes place in a constrained residential area, particularly if un-ticketed, will present a potential safety challenge. In recent years we’ve seen a number of occasions where the movement of huge crowds in already tightly packed residential streets has given us serious cause for concern.
“In the coming days we’ll be putting out important guidance for actions that those attending Carnival can take if they feel unsafe in a crowd. I’d urge everyone to read and do their best to remember them.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
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