Notting Hill Carnival 2018: Over 370 arrests made during bank holiday event
Carnival-goers held memorial for 72 people killed in Grenfell Tower blaze minutes from parade route in June 2017
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Your support makes all the difference.The sun made a last-minute appearance to shine on the world’s second-biggest street party, attended by more than a million people over the bank holiday weekend.
But police made more than 370 arrests at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival and Monday night was “marred” after a man was stabbed, receiving non-life-threatening injuries at around 8.10pm in Ladbroke Grove.
Scotland Yard also said 30 officers were injured “in the line of duty”.
During the event, revellers also fell silent for 72 seconds to pay their respects to the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Musicians set down their instruments and sound systems were turned off briefly to honour those who died in the blaze last year.
Tributes were held at 3pm on each day of the carnival to mark the tragedy, which unfolded minutes’ walk from the parade route.
The fire, Britain’s deadliest on domestic premises since World War Two, swept through the 24-storey Grenfell Tower in North Kensington in the early hours of 14 June last year.
Some carnival-goers wore green, a colour that has come to be associated with Grenfell, while street art and posters were also on display in the Notting Hill area.
However, not all in attendance appeared to get the message about the tribute, as the party continued in pockets despite music being turned off with announcements barely audible.
And on Sunday, the silence was broken at the Rampage sound stage, just off Colville Square, with cheers, whistles and the voice of the late Aretha Franklin singing Respect.
In total Officers detained 156 people on drugs offences, 69 on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and nine on suspicion of sexual offences. Among the items seized were knives, a metal pole and a taser.
Last year some 313 arrests were carried out.
Notting Hill Carnival Gold Commander Dave Musker said: “We would like to thank all those who took to the streets to celebrate everything that the carnival stands for, in a kind and considerate manner.
“However Monday night was marred by the news of a non-life-threatening stabbing at around 8.10pm in Ladbroke Grove. Thankfully this was the only incident of this nature throughout the whole weekend.”
Police were operating with enhanced stop-and-search powers in a bid to crack down on violence.
“I am confident that the Section 60 order imposed yesterday prevented these dangerous items being brought to carnival, and based on the intelligence at my disposal, I consider it proportionate and necessary to ensure a safe carnival today,” Commander Musker added.
The bank holiday weekend party was policed by almost 7,000 officers on Monday, the highest police presence at the carnival in six years.
Additional reporting by agencies
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