Dozens of officers injured during violence at Notting Hill Carnival

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said three people remain in a life-threatening condition after being stabbed, including a 32-year-old woman who was at Carnival with her young child.

Eighteen officers had also been assaulted on Sunday with 102 arrests made for various offences.

According to the Metropolitan Police Federation, a total of 75 officers were assaulted during the Carnival with one taken to hospital.

“Once again Notting Hill Carnival is marred by serious violence – and attacks on police officers,” the Federation said. “Seventy-five of our colleagues [were] assaulted. Six bitten. One sexually assaulted. One in hospital. This is absolutely disgusting. No wonder our members dread policing this event.”

The MPS confirmed that over the two days of Notting Hill Carnival, there were 61 incidents where officers were assaulted – 24 on Sunday and 37 on Monday.

The assaults mostly involved kicks, punches or pushes. There were four incidents where officers were spat at, two where where officers were headbutted and two where officers had glass bottles thrown at them.

In total there were eight stabbings during the Carnival.

Detectives investigating the stabbing of the 32-year-old woman on Sunday confirmed on Tuesday that they have arrested three men.

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder, and a 24-year-old and 22-year-old were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

The force said all three were arrested at separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham on Tuesday morning and remain in custody.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the MPS’s spokesperson for Notting Hill Carnival, said: “Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones. She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

“These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects. We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the incredible work of the officers, including police medics, who arrived so quickly – delivering emergency medical treatment and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence.

“Our investigations into the other incidents over the weekend continue.”

The MPS said shortly before 6pm on Sunday, officers deployed in Golborne Road, W10 as part of the Carnival policing operation became aware of a woman who had been stabbed.

“The officers, including police medics, gave emergency medical treatment until the arrival of paramedics. The woman was transported to hospital where she remains in a critical condition,” it said.

“While the investigation is ongoing, initial inquiries suggest the woman got caught up in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men. It’s not yet clear if they were known to her.”

The force said it was “tired of seeing crime scenes” at a Carnival that is supposed to be ‘family day’”.

Throughout the final day of the Carnival on Monday, officers used their search powers to take weapons off the streets and prevent additional serious violence, the MPS said.

Three firearms were recovered, two at the Carnival and one during a vehicle stop in Harrow involving individuals believed to be on their way to the event.

As of Monday night there had been five stabbings, two incidents where victims sustained slash wounds and one incident involving a corrosive substance.

“Two of those who were stabbed are in a life-threatening condition. The 32-year-old woman stabbed on Sunday also remains in a life threatening condition,” the MPS said.

It said the 35 officers injured on Monday were “receiving our full support”.

Of the 230 arrests made on the closing day of the Carnival, 49 were for possession of an offensive weapon, one for possession of a firearm, 37 for assault on an emergency worker, eight for sexual offences, nine for violence with injury and 15 for other violence.

Sixty-six arrests were also made for drugs offences.

Speaking on Monday ahead of the final day of the Carnival, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who was in charge of the policing operation, said: “Yesterday we saw the first day of Carnival marred by unacceptable violence. Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.

“This was supposed to be ‘family day’ – a celebration suitable for all ages. One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at the Carnival with her young child.

“We are tired of saying the same words every year. We are tired of telling families that their loved ones are seriously injured, or worse. We are tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival.

“Carnival is a community event and the vast majority of people come to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy music and have a fantastic experience.

“It is the responsibility of all who value this event, who want to see it as the celebration it should be, to speak out and speak up about the violence that continues to overshadow it.”

A 29-year-old man who was stabbed on Sunday remains in hospital in a non-life threatening condition and a second man, aged 24, who was stabbed and whose condition was assessed as non-life threatening, has discharged himself from hospital, the force said.

The MPS said investigations into these stabbings were ongoing, adding: “At this early stage there have been no arrests in relation to them.”

A 41-year-old man remains in a critical condition in hospital having sustained a head injury during an assault in Queensway at around 11.20pm on Monday.