At least three people were stabbed during the opening day of London's Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday, with one of them still in a life-threatening condition, according to London police.
London's Metropolitan Police Service said on Tuesday it was aware of three stabbings, one of which involved a 32-year-old woman who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
A 29-year-old man and a 24-year-old man were also stabbed, the former of whom was in a non-life-threatening condition. Police were awaiting an update on the 24-year-old man's condition at the time of publication.
“Hundreds of thousands of people turned out at Notting Hill Carnival today to enjoy a fantastic celebration. Our officers have been on duty working to ensure their safety as part of a carefully planned policing operation,” the police service said. “Sadly, a minority turned out to commit crimes and take part in acts of violence.”
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Police officers look on during the Notting Hill Carnival in London, on August 25, 2024. (Reuters/Hollie Adams)
Police said 15 officers were assaulted when things turned violent, although none of them suffered serious injuries.
Police made 90 arrests for various crimes.
Ten people were arrested for assaulting emergency workers, 18 for possession of an offensive weapon, four for sexual offences, one for robbery, four for theft, six for assault, one for a public order offence, eight for possession of drugs with intent to distribute and 30 for drug possession, four of whom were for possession of nitrous oxide.
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A participant wears a colourful costume on the first day of the Notting Hill Carnival in London during last year's festivities. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Before the carnival, police announced that they had been authorized to order the removal of masks used to conceal a person's identity. Anyone who refuses to comply with the order, police said, could be arrested.
Notting Hill Carnival attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year who fill the streets of west London for two days in one of the world's largest celebrations of Caribbean music and culture.
This year, the festivities will take place on August 25 and 26.
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The London Ambulance Service posted a photograph on social media of crew members walking through the Notting Hill Carnival in west London. (London Ambulance Service)
The carnival traces its history back to 1958, when Trinidadian human rights activist Claudia Jones began organizing a gathering to unify the community after a series of racist attacks against black people in the Notting Hill neighborhood.
Founded in 1964 by a few Trinidadian steel bands, it has grown into a massive annual street party featuring colorful floats, thousands of calypso dancers in spectacular feathered costumes, nearly 20 steel bands and more than two dozen sound systems.
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The carnival returned to the narrow streets of the neighborhood in 2022 after two years in which it had to be held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
