Move Notting Hill Carnival to a park - Tory mayoral candidate

The Metropolitan Police says there were 275 arrests across the two days of the Notting Hill Carnival

The Conservative Party's London mayoral candidate says Notting Hill Carnival should be moved following a spate of stabbings at this year's event as well as assaults on police officers.

Susan Hall suggested the carnival could be held in a park.

Eight men were hurt in stabbings at the weekend and there were 308 arrests, with 57 for alleged assaults on police.

Carnival organisers say those carrying out violence "have nothing to do with Notting Hill Carnival and its values".

"We deplore all acts of violence," a Notting Hill Carnival Ltd spokesperson said.

Ms Hall, who has been selected as the Tories' 2024 London mayoral candidate, called for the event to be held in a different location, saying police "don't want to be there".

She told LBC: "It's very upsetting and I'm afraid we have this every single year. It's an incredible thing, the Notting Hill Carnival. I would just say move it. Move it to where it can be policed much better than where it is now.

"Because it's so good and so successful, very, very many people go there, so it's very, very difficult to police, so I'd be urging people to look at somewhere else it could go."

Asked where it should be moved to, she said: "Perhaps to a park. And let the organisers look and see where they would like it to be moved to."

'Police in danger'

She added: "Of course, it is up to everybody else, it's not up to me at this specific point. I just comment that every year - all the accidents, all the stabbings, all the various things that go on that we would not want.

"And I talk to police officers daily, and they don't want to be there, quite frankly, because they know that they are in danger."

However, Symone Williams, whose father was a founding member of the carnival in the 1960s, said moving Notting Hill Carnival out of the neighbourhood would "end a historical event".

She said if the event was taken out of Notting Hill, "then it's no longer Notting Hill Carnival. That makes no sense".

Ms Hall made her comments after a 29-year-old man was left critically ill following a stabbing in Warfield Road at about 21:00 BST on Monday, while a 19-year-old man was seriously hurt in another stabbing in Ladbroke Grove an hour earlier.

Six other men - aged 18, 19, 20, 25, 28 and 40 - were left with non-life threatening injuries in separate stabbings throughout Monday evening.

A total of 198 arrests were made on Monday for a range of alleged offences, including possession of offensive weapons, assaults on police officers, drug possession and sexual offences.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was worried about the illegal use of weapons at the carnival but stressed the majority of people who attended the "amazing community event" had a "fantastic time".

He said the force would look at "what more can be done to help keep away the small number of very dangerous people who turn up there".

'Isolated' crime

Ms Williams, who is the artistic director of the Genesis Mas Band, said the carnival's central messaging was "peace and unity" and the event should not be viewed as "synonymous with crime".

She added crime was "isolated" compared to other large-scale events.

The Metropolitan Police Federation said on social media: "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."

Leroy Logan, a former Met superintendent and founding chair of the Black Police Association, said the violence experienced at the carnival was comparable with football matchdays.

"If the federation wants it moved, then they have to come up with a stronger argument around the number of assaults," Mr Logan said.

He said "proper safeguards" and better community policing would reduce risks at the event.

• Windrush legacy celebrated at Notting Hill Carnival

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who oversaw the policing operation, 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.

"As we do following any major operation, we will be reviewing the events of the past two days and giving thorough consideration to what may need to change in future years."

He added: "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."

A spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the event was "born out of the Caribbean community in north Kensington and Notting Hill" and that this should "remain its home".

The Notting Hill Carnival Ltd spokesperson added: "We will continue to work hard with our partners to protect Notting Hill Carnival and the people who make it so special."

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