A senior Metropolitan Police officer has said he is “tired of saying the same words every year” after a woman attending the Notting Hill Carnival with her child was stabbed.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is in charge of the policing operation for the event, said his officers “very narrowly avoided a fatality” and are “tired of seeing crime scenes” at the street party.
Calling for carnival-goers to report crime, Mr Adelekan said: “Yesterday we saw the first day marred by unacceptable violence.
“Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.”
The 32-year-old woman remains in a critical condition in hospital, the force said.
A 29-year-old man who was also stabbed remains in hospital in a non-life-threatening condition, and a second man, aged 24, who was stabbed discharged himself from hospital.
There were 103 arrests on Sunday, and 18 officers were assaulted, Scotland Yard said.
The Deputy Assistant Commissioner’s appeal comes as the carnival reaches its climax on Monday with the adults parade.
The celebration is Europe’s biggest street party and is billed by organisers as “the greatest community-led event on the planet”.
Around a million people were expected to attend over the bank holiday weekend, with about 7,000 officers on duty.
Mr Adelekan continued: “This was supposed to be ‘family day’ – a celebration suitable for all ages.
“We are tired of saying the same words every year. We are tired of telling families that their loved ones are seriously injured, or worse.
“We are tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival.
“Carnival is a community event and the vast majority of people come to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy music and have a fantastic experience.
“It is the responsibility of all who value this event, who want to see it as the celebration it should be, to speak out and speak up about the violence that continues to overshadow it.
“Whether it is information about a previous incident now under investigation, or information about someone coming to Carnival today to commit crime, please tell us.”
The annual celebration of Caribbean heritage, arts and culture has been running for more than 50 years.
