Safety change paramount as Notting Hill Carnival reaches `tipping point` of violence, report warns

Organisers and London’s politicians must “get a grip” of Europe`s largest celebration of African-Caribbean culture after police warn of a “catastrophic” Hillsborough-scale tragedy.

Changes have been urged as Notting Hill Carnival has reached a “tipping point” after officers battled the worst violence in a generation at last year`s event, a new report concludes.

Four stabbings, which were so serious the victims nearly died, and a record 454 arrests – nearly double the figure from two years ago – saw the Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF) seeking to call time on the world`s second biggest street party.

MPF chair Ken Marsh spoke of officers’ fear and “dread” at policing the 2016 event – which celebrated its 50th anniversary – with an “unacceptable” number being “assaulted, abused and spat at”, admitting that the carnival could not “carry on regardless”.

A report published on Tuesday (January 17) by the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee (LAPCC) calls on the volunteer-run event to “get a grip” on overcrowding and violent crime at the two-day event where a total of 13,000 officers policed the attendance of more than one million visitors over the August bank holiday.

The LAPCC report – Notting Hill Carnival, safer and better – said 396 crimes were recorded at the 2016 carnival, up from 343 in 2010, with offences of violence against people rising from 81 to 151 in the same period.

“Traditionally, the vast majority of offences have been related to theft and drugs. The number of violent crimes, however, is rising,” it said.

“Several of those violent incidents were serious and nearly resulted in loss of life: something that has not happened at carnival in over a decade.”

Commander Dave Musker, in charge of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) operation at last year`s event, said: “Each year, and last year was no exception, we came exceptionally close to a major catastrophic failure of public safety where members of the public would face serious injury.”

In its latest report, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) said the annual event, run by the London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust Ltd (LNHCET), urgently needed rethinking.

“The police warn of the risk of a Hillsborough-scale tragedy; it would be foolish to ignore these voices,” MOPAC said.

LAPCC chairman Steve O’Connell added: “Alarm bells are ringing. We’re seeing a rise in serious violence at Notting Hill Carnival and an increase in the number of people being injured by weapons.

“Coupled with the risks around crowd control, there is a very real threat of serious harm to a large number of people.

“We want the carnival to succeed, but it has reached a tipping point where the status quo is not an option. The previous Mayor got a grip on London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, the current Mayor now needs to do the same with Notting Hill Carnival.”

The LAPCC report recommends that London Mayor Sadiq Khan should:

•Help the LNHCET put it on a more formal and financially sustainable footing, giving it greater responsibility and ownership of carnival;

•In partnership with the LNHCET examine the evidence base for change and consider the range of options – such as changing the parade route or moving elements of the carnival – to improve crowd management and safety.

For example, the report said, on the Ladbroke Grove section of the route, carnival floats and support vehicles caused people to be pushed to the sides of the road and police officers had to dive in to pull children and distressed adults out of the crowd.

In All Saints Road, in another part of the route close to Tavistock Gardens, the safety barriers collapsed on three occasions because of the large number of people crowding around the static sound systems in the road, MOPAC said.

“Public concern about the level of crime at carnival is nothing new. But we are now seeing a rise in more serious and violent crimes: this year four stabbings almost became murders,” it added.

Assembly Member Mr O`Connell said: “By working in partne