The Notting Hill Carnival, meant to bea “showcase of Britain’s immigrant community and diversity” has endedin carnage, bloody street battles between police and black gangs, whichresulted in at least 488 arrests.
Some 11,000 police officers weredeployed at the event, costing taxpayers £6 million. They wereattacked, glassed, pelted with missiles and confronted all day witheverything from knife wielding black hoodlums and drunks, to dangerousdogs.
Knives, a Taser gun, CS spray and abaseball bat were among the weapons seized during the rioting whichfollowed the end of the carnival, billed as Europe’s largest“celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture.”
A total of 488 arrests were made duringthe event — 330 in the Notting Hill area and 158 around Oval, wherepolice prevented about 160 black youths from south London entering themain carnival area.
Officers bused 151 of them to southLondon police stations where they were detained until the carnival wasover. Seven were arrested for possession of bladed articles or publicorder offences.
Police were battered near the centre ofthe carnival in Ladbroke Grove after 40 black youths attacked them inplanned formations for two hours, pelting them with everything theycould find, including bottles, bricks, steel bars and other objects.One officer was glassed in the face.
Backup had to be called in the form of fully armoured riot police, who baton-charged the black mob before order was restored.