Notting Hill Carnival stabbing leaves woman, 32, fighting for life as 90 arrested on 'family day'

25 August 2024, 20:56 | Updated: 25 August 2024, 23:04

A woman is fighting for her life in hospital - as three stabbings blighted 'family day' at the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday.
A woman is fighting for her life in hospital - as three stabbings blighted 'family day' at the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday. Picture: Alamy

By Chay Quinn

A woman is fighting for her life in hospital - as three stabbings blighted 'family day' at the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The 32-year-old is in hospital alongside a man, 29, who was injured in a separate knife attack at the festival.

A 24-year-old man was the third victim of a stabbing on Sunday - and his condition is unknown.

Among the criminality at the celebration of Caribbean culture, 15 police officers were assaulted but none were seriously injured

A total of 90 arrests were made on the supposed 'family day' of the Carnival.

The arrests at the Carnival on Sunday were for:

  • 10 for suspected assaults on an emergency worker
  • 18 for suspected possession of an offensive weapon
  • 4 for suspected sexual offences
  • 8 for suspected possession of class A drugs 4 x possession of nitrous oxide
  • 1 suspected theft from a person
  • 8 for suspected other offences
  • 8 for suspected possession with intent to supply drugs
  • 6 for suspected assault
  • 4 for suspected robbery
  • 13 for suspected possession of class B drugs
  • 5 for suspected possession of other drugs
  • 1 suspected public order offence
London, UK, 25 Aug 2024. Black Women And Man Stand Between Police And Onlookers Pleading For The Situation To Calm Down After 2 Black Men And One White Man Were Arrested By Riot Police.
Among the criminality at the celebration of Caribbean culture, 15 police officers were assaulted but none were seriously injured. Picture: Alamy

The Carnival kicked off on Sunday with around a million people set to descend on the streets of west London for 'family day' - also known as 'children's day'.

A police spokesman said: "Hundreds of thousands of people came to Notting Hill Carnival today to enjoy a fantastic celebration.

"Our officers have been on duty working to keep them safe as part of a very carefully planned policing operation.

"Regrettably, a minority came to commit crime and engage in violence."

Read more: Germany knife attack suspect hands himself in after three people killed and four injured at festival

Read more: Final tragic moments of the victims of the superyacht disaster revealed

The festival is a "fixture in London&squot;s cultural calendar"
The festival is a "fixture in London's cultural calendar". Picture: LBC

"A section 60 gives officers greater search powers to prevent further violence."

The festival is a "fixture in London's cultural calendar" and attracts similar numbers each year.

It is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK and celebrates Caribbean culture with vividly costumed performers taking part in a parade through the streets with dancing and music.

The carnival is the biggest of its kind in Europe and is billed by organisers as "the greatest community-led event on the planet", taking place every August bank holiday weekend.

Sunday marks the 'family day' - also known as 'children's day' - and features family-friendly activities and a parade, where youngsters in colourful costumes are encouraged to dance in the streets.

The Adults' Parade is held on Monday, described by organisers as the climax of the carnival with "party vibes" - but it is also where most arrests are made.

The carnival is the biggest of its kind in Europe
The carnival is the biggest of its kind in Europe. Picture: LBC

The event is the subject of a large-scale policing operation, with around 7,000 officers on duty throughout the weekend to police the event this year.

There were eight stabbings and 275 arrests at the 2023 event.

The Riddim Tribe presents Gallery on the parade - The Children's Day on the Sunday of the Notting Hill Carnival.
The Riddim Tribe presents Gallery on the parade - The Children's Day on the Sunday of the Notting Hill Carnival. Picture: Alamy
Hot Wax dance group taking part in the Children's Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration
Hot Wax dance group taking part in the Children's Day Parade, part of the Notting Hill Carnival celebration. Picture: Alamy

Met spokesperson Commander Charmain Brenyah said she had grown up near where the event is held in west London and has "many happy memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere".

But she added: "Sadly, however, we know that for a minority of people, Carnival is an opportunity to commit crime or to seek out violent confrontation."

The Met said it will be deploying a specialist crowd management cell for the second year in a row, to monitor crowd density and flow.

Police officers during the Children's Day Parade
Police officers during the Children's Day Parade. Picture: Alamy

In order to staff the event, Met officers are being joined by colleagues from the City of London Police and the British Transport Police.

Rick Prior, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said many "hard-working" officers will be "missing valuable time to rest and be at home with loved ones" to police the event.

"We wish our hard-working colleagues a safe and secure policing operation at the Notting Hill Carnival," he said.

"Many are missing valuable time to rest and be at home with loved ones to work across the bank holiday weekend at this demanding event."

Transport for London (TfL) urged people travelling to the carnival to plan their journeys in advance as it warned some stations could be much busier than usual.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab has been effective in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancers

Immunotherapy drug 'first breakthrough in 20 years' for head and neck cancer treatment

Used E-Cigarette

Disposable vapes banned from Sunday in bid to improve health and cut 'avalanche' of litter

EuroMillions - Photo Illustration

Lucky EuroMillions winner could snatch up £199m jackpot in UK record

Loretta Swit presents a tribute to 'Mr. Rogers' at the 45th annual Daytime Emmy Awards on April 29, 2018

M*A*S*H star Loretta Swit dies aged 87

The study is funded by the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, a charity set up in the name of the Girls Aloud singer who died of breast cancer aged 39

Study led by Sarah Harding's doctor could see NHS offer breast cancer checks to women in their thirties

Exclusive
A prison officer was stabbed with a weapon that may have been delivered to Long Lartin prison by a drone.

Prison officer stabbed with weapon 'likely sent in by drone', union chief tells LBC News as he warns 'it's a risk every shift'

White House AI Hack Triggers Global Security Fears as Voice-Cloning Threat Grows

White House AI voice-cloning hack spark security fears as deepfake of Trump's Chief of Staff triggers global alarm

Sanitation workers load rubbish into an automatic garbage truck in Long Island, New York

Man found dead 'buried under rubbish' after bin he was sleeping in was emptied into bin lorry

Chinese President Xi Jinpingmeets with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

China hits back at Trump after he accuses it of 'totally violating' tariff agreement

Trump has responded to a question from a reporter about the Macrons

‘Not good’: Trump responds to question about video of Macron being 'slapped across face' by wife Brigitte

Levi Bancroft, 22,  was sentenced on Friday, 30 May at Southwark Crown Court for four counts of rape involving three victims

Serial rapist, 22, who raped two 'vulnerable' teenage girls and a transgender woman sentenced to life in prison

Screengrab from CCTV footage showing Jay McGinty, 37, at the entrance to Claridge's Hotel in Mayfair.

Man caught trying to steal jewels worth £190k from Claridge’s Hotel using smoke grenades and sledgehammer jailed

Daily Life In Richmond Hill

Toxic pesticide linked to cancer discovered in tampons at levels 40 times above legal limit for drinking water

Exclusive
Lord Hermer and Sir Keir Starmer

'Out of touch': Attorney General slammed for comparing ECHR doubters to Nazis

Exclusive
The UK’s Oldest Man, Donald Rose aged 110, has been given the ‘Freedom of The Borough’ in Derbyshire.

UK’s oldest man given ‘Freedom of The Borough’ for service in World War 2

Aerial view of Long Lartin High Security Prison near Evesham in Worcestershire.

Prison officer, 25, airlifted to hospital after being stabbed by inmate at high-security prison