Met reveals Notting Hill Carnival plan as police gear up for weekend of crime

A Freedom of Information request filed after last year's event saw the Metropolitan Police reveal it had made over 300 arrests in just two days - with 10 stabbings, almost 60 cases of police assault, and 20 sexual offences among those recorded.

And for each year's carnival, the Met is known to release images of weapons they've seized from troublemakers on the streets.

Ahead of this year's "fixture in London's cultural calendar" as police have called it, the Met has released their "policing approach" over Sunday and Monday on the Bank Holiday Weekend, and noted how past criminal activity cannot be "downplayed or dismissed".

And with just a few days until carnival kick-off, locals in the affluent area of London have already been seen boarding up windows as Notting Hill's leafy streets gear up to host millions of event-goers.

A police statement said some 7,000 officers will be on duty - including those from the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police, and the City of London Police.

The Met said its operation has come after "months of detailed planning" in an effort to ensure a "safe and secure carnival" - and have confirmed police will be using "stop and search" powers "where there are grounds to do so".

Police referenced the recent unrest - which has seen 1,000 people arrested up and down the country - in their statement as they reassured Londoners that they would deal with anyone "responsible for fuelling or participating in the recent disorder" with "swift and decisive" action.

Though the Met said there was "no indication at all" that any known rioters were harbouring plans to attend the festivities.

READ MORE ON PREVIOUS CARNIVALS:

• Notting Hill 'can't continue!' Nigel Farage rages at 'ugly' violence
• Shocking moment teenage yobs run through Notting Hill Carnival 'wielding huge machetes'
• Sadiq Khan urged to tackle knife crime as Mayor of London announces return of Notting Hill Carnival

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met's spokesperson for this year's event, said: "Having grown up not far from where Carnival takes place I have many happy memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere."

But he added: "Sadly... For a minority of people, carnival is an opportunity to commit crime or to seek out violent confrontation.

"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."

Police also referenced the importance of crowd control as they warned of the danger of sizeable "un-ticketed" hordes of revellers.

Commander Brenyah said police recognised the large-scale cultural significance of the carnival - but added how "in recent years we've seen a number of occasions where the movement of huge crowds in already tightly packed residential streets has given us serious cause for concern".

The Met drew attention to the risk of sexual offences in the crowds - saying the sheer numbers meant "there are more opportunities for offenders to hide in plain sight as they target women and girls" and can lead to a rise in groping or other sex crimes.

It also flagged how charity Safer Spaces will be setting up zones across the event to provide a place of rest or refuge for women and girls.

But Commander Brenyah counselled calm among all prospective attendees, saying: "We're there to keep you safe - if you see us, say hello - but we're also there to intervene decisively against those intent on violence."