GB News Home and Security Editor Mark White has questioned Sadiq Khan’s “complete lack of condemnation” for the “shocking levels” of violence seen at Notting Hill Carnival.
This weekend saw eight stabbings and 349 arrests, including 72 for possession of an offensive weapon, 53 for assault on an emergency worker, and 53 for possession of class B drugs.
Speaking on GB News, Mark said the Government and the mayor’s office have been deathly silent on the matter.
“For many people that attend the Notting Hill Carnival, it is a wonderful event and something they look forward to”, he said.
Mark White has questioned the response from Sadiq Khan
GB NEWS
“But there is also no getting away from the fact that there are shocking levels of violence and criminalities at this carnival every single year.
“There are people now in critical condition - fighting for their lives in hospital. They include a mother, a 32-year-old woman who was with her young child when she got caught up in the middle of a gang fight.
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“It’s all the more shocking because this happened on Sunday, and for those that know, Carnival Sunday is billed as Family Day. It’s the day when out of the two days you have lower levels of criminality.
“You still have criminality though - and on that day, 104 people were arrested and four people were stabbed. There are some serious issues that come up year after year, and in fact, this year was worse than last year.”
He added: “What we’ve had is a complete absence of condemnation coming from any politician, be it Sadiq Khan’s office or Labour politicians.
“He said nothing about the fact that he is responsible for policing in the capital and 50 of his police officers were injured during the two days of Carnival.
Mark White has questioned the response to the Notting Hill Carnival violence
GB NEWS
“After this spate of stabbings, no word on that and no word from any Labour politician now in Government.
“Of courser, nothing from the Home Secretary, nothing from the Communities Minister or indeed the Prime Minister at his news conference again today, where he is telling us how tough he is, how determined he is to end the violence we saw afflicting our towns and cities during the riots.
“Quite right - but you can’t have one rule where you come forward and you utterly condemn the violent scenes plaguing our streets, and then not apply that same measure to a Carnival that has just seen a particularly violent weekend.”
Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met’s spokesperson for the 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.
A 32-year-old woman is in a life-threatening condition after being stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival on SundayGetty“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.”