'Move it to a park': Tory Mayor candidate says move 'dangerous' Notting Hill Carnival to 'easier to police' location

29 August 2023, 08:05

'move it': Tory Mayoral hopeful speaks out on Notting Hill Carnival

By EJ Ward

The Tory candidate to be Mayor of London has called for the Notting Hill Carnival to be 'moved to a park' to make it 'easier to police' after a spate of violence at the weekend.

Two men are in hospital following a spate of stabbing incidents as the Notting Hill Carnival came to a close, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force said a 29-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital following a stabbing in Warfield Road, just off Harrow Road, shortly after 9pm on Monday.

A 19-year-old man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after he was stabbed in Ladbroke Grove shortly before 8pm.

Read more: Man in critical condition after series of stabbings at Notting Hill carnival

Read more: Notting Hill Carnival boss says Susan Hall should come and see what event 'does for people'

Police said six other men, aged 18, 19, 20, 25, 28 and 40, sustained non-life threatening injuries in separate stabbing incidents throughout Monday evening.

There were 275 arrests across the two days of the carnival, with 165 arrests on Monday for a range of offences, including possession of offensive weapons, assaults on police officers, possession of drugs and sexual offences.

When LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast asked Conservative London mayoral candidate Susan Hall about violence at the event she said it should be moved to a location easier to police.

"We have this every single year. Move it to where it can be policed much better."

"Because it's so good and so successful very very many people go there, so it's very very difficult to police."

Ms Hall said she was urging organisers to move the event to "somewhere it can be policed much better."

"Perhaps to a park," but she said "every year" she hears reports of "accidents and stabbings and various things going on that we don't want"

She told Nick that police officers didn't want to be there because "they know they're in danger.

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.

"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 continued: "It is important to recognise the positives that we can take away from the event. I am pleased that by working in close partnership with the event organisers and the stewarding teams, we were able to closely monitor crowd density and intervene in an effective way to prevent any incidents of crushing at peak times.

"I would like to thank all the officers who have worked so hard over the weekend to keep people safe.

"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."

Earlier on Monday, colourfully-costumed revellers paraded through the streets of west London, marking the climax of the carnival.

Thousands took part in an exuberant adult parade as part of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture and history.

People were partying atop floats followed by drummers and feathered mas bands dancing to the beat, while stilt walkers strutted around.

Meanwhile the sweet, smoky scent of jerk chicken filled the side streets where sound systems played everything from rare groove to house, samba, reggae and ska.

Celebrities including Lily Allen, Idris Elba and Nick Grimshaw were among those partying at this year's carnival.

It is expected more than two million people will have taken to the streets of west London by the end of the bank holiday as the carnival, Europe's biggest street party, celebrates two landmark anniversaries.

The introduction of sound systems and mas bands 50 years ago transformed it into a large-scale event and the docking of the Empire Windrush 75 years ago heralded mass immigration from the Caribbean.

One DJ set this year was hosted by Luther star Elba, 50, who has been DJing for years and had a residency in the Club Room at HI Ibiza in 2022.

Among the most memorable additions to the parade was a Windrush-themed double-decker bus seen travelling up Ladbroke Grove.

The "beautifully designed" vehicle told the story of the Windrush generation and their "impact on carnival, the transport network and our city", according to London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Deborah Klass, of the Windrush Generation Legacy Association, who was on board, told the BBC: "It's a landmark moment for us - this year is significantly momentous."