“There had been five stabbings, two incidents where victims sustained slash wounds and one incident involving a corrosive substance.
Two of those who were stabbed are in a life threatening condition. The 32-year- old woman stabbed on Sunday also remains in a life threatening condition,” said the police.
Over 230 arrests, including 37 individuals for assaulting emergency workers, 49 for possessing offensive weapons, and 8 for sexual offenses as of 10.45 PM Monday (local time) were made, said the London Metro police in statement.Hundereds of firearms were also recovered by security officials amid the festivities. Thirty Five police officers were also reported injured during the festival.
The carnival, an annual celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture, took place in the streets of west London’s Notting Hill neighborhood and is said to have attracted over 1 million attendees, according to AP reports. To ensure safety, 7,000 police officers were deployed for the event, which started on Sunday and concluded the day after.
Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian activist, laid the foundation for the event by organizing a Caribbean carnival at St Pancras Town Hall in London in 1959. This event was a response to the racial tensions and riots that had taken place during that time.
Participants in this year’s carnival, particularly on the second day emphasized the increased relevance of Jones’ message of unity in the wake of the late July racist riots,fueled by the spread of misinformation online regarding the suspected perpetrator of a knife attack that claimed the lives of three young girls in Southport, located in northwest England.
Matthew Phillip, the Notting Hill carnival’s chief executive, told Reuters the event was Britain’s biggest celebration of inclusion – “of the things we have in common, rather than focusing on our differences”.
Source : Times of India
