Over 40 weapons seized at Notting Hill Carnival including two firearms
145 people have been arrested so far today
PA/Reuters
Over 40 weapons have been seized at Notting Hill Carnival today, including two firearms, as 145 people have been arrested.
A person has also been stabbed, bringing the total number of stabbing victims to four so far over the two days.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the victim has not suffered life threatening injuries.
The force provided a detailed breakdown of the offences so far at Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday.
145 people have been arrested so far today
PA
Among the 145 arrests, one individual was apprehended after a search was carried out at one of the entry points and they were found to be carrying a firearm.
Prior to that, earlier today, officers were able to stop a car in Harrow, believed to be en route to Carnival, where a firearm was seized and two people arrested.
In another case, a man who was wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted at Carnival and arrested following a successful stop.
So far today, 41 weapons other than firearms have been seized.
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7,000 Metropolitan Police officers have been deployed for Carnival
PA
As of 7pm on Monday, officers had made 145 arrests, bringing the total so far over the two days to 249.
Officers say the alleged crimes include assault on an emergency worker, assault, possession with intent to supply, sexual offences and robbery.
This comes after three people were stabbed at Carnival yesterday, with one woman fighting for her life.
The 32-year-old woman is in critical condition in hospital, while two men, aged 29 and 24 were also stabbed.
Over one million people are expected to attend Carnival
Reuters
It comes as 7,000 Met officers have been deployed for the two-day event which expects to see more than a million people attend.
Ahead of the event, the Met described it as a day in London’s cultural calendar that was also a "challenging event to police with very dense crowds and a regrettable history of a minority of people using it as an opportunity to commit crime, including violence".
The Met’s spokesperson for this year’s Carnival, Commander Charmain Brenyah said she has "happy memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere".
"Sadly, however, we know that for a minority of people, carnival is an opportunity to commit crime or to seek out violent confrontation.
"As a police officer on duty in previous years I’ve seen both the carnival I experienced in my youth, but also the other side of the same event when, later in the day, the atmosphere changes in some parts, with floats and costumes giving way to serious violence."