Injunction blocks street party planned after cancelled carnival

The event was due to take place in Stoughton Street South and the adjoining Evington Street, in Highfields, Leicester

An injunction has been taken out to block a street party, which was planned to take place on Saturday.

The authorised Leicester Caribbean Carnival traditionally took place on the first Saturday of August, but organisers cancelled this year's event in July because of financial difficulties.

An unofficial street party in the Highfields area of the city was planned in place of the carnival, but without the backing of local authorities.

However, on Friday, Leicester City Council was granted an interim injunction order by the High Court, to prevent the event from happening.

'Safety concern'

At a hearing in Birmingham on Friday, a number of defendants - who did not attend the court - were stopped from organising, facilitating, promoting or publicising an "unauthorised music event" on Saturday in Stoughton Street South, Evington Street and an adjoining small playground.

The order extended to anyone who intended to be involved in the event; playing amplified or loud music; supplying, selling or drinking alcohol; or obstructing roads or pavements.

According to a copy of the injunction published by the city council, Judge Tindal accepted the defendants "simply wanted to arrange an event for the local community to celebrate on the first Saturday of August, as had been done for decades".

The judge said the defendants believed that it "would not be right or fair" to wait until 2025 to have community events.

Mr Tindal accepted there was "no real risk of crime of disorder at the event" but he said he was "very worried" that the event would be popular and so crowded that "it would not be safe for everyone".

He expressed concern about the risk of a "crush" and ambulances finding it difficult to access the area.

And he said he was persuaded to grant the injunction, in part, because Leicester City Council said it still hoped to organise an event later this month.

Anyone who disobeys the order could be imprisoned, fined or have assets seized.

Judge Tindal invited the defendants to attend the court on 9 August if they wanted to persuade him to change or drop the order against them to talk about any future event.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.