MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

Ugly truth behind famous Notting Hill Carnival: Why cops hate policing event and want it moved

One murder, six stabbings, 74 police officer assaults, and 209 arrests at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival

WARNING: This article contains graphic imagery and content that some readers may find distressing. Discretion is advised.

LADBROKE GROVE, LONDON: The Notting Hill carnival, the largest street carnival in Europe, which returned to London after a two-year break from the pandemic on August 27 for three days, was marred by violence leaving one person murdered, six stabbed, and 74 officers assaulted and 209 arrested.

Ken Marsh, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, demanded the carnival be moved to a private venue after cases of violence started pouring in from the three-day carnival, which saw a line of DJs playing songs like 'Brown Sugar,' 'Candy Love' and 'Kay Wavey.' He told DailyMail, "It is like playing a broken record as the same things keep happening every year. It is very difficult to control, maintain and deal with. Seventy four of my colleagues were injured in what is meant to be a 'peaceful' carnival. People turn up with knives and someone has been stabbed to death. There were also a lot of altercations happening between various groups. This cannot be the case year after year and we cannot continue to allow this to happen. This needs to be held in a private venue, such as Hyde Park, where it can be a lot more easily controlled. We have had conversations about moving the carnival to a private venue, but the suggestions just get batted away." The department of Metropolitan Police Federation also took to Twitter and said, "Every year our brave officers come under attack at this event. Colleagues dread policing it. And yet nothing changes."

READ MORE

What is Moechella? 15-year-old killed, 3 others injured in DC music festival shooting

What is Redneck Rave? Music fest ends with slit throat, severed fingers and broken bones, 48 charged

Death of Takayo Nembhard 

As per the DailyMail report, the killing of 21-year-old footballer-turned rapper Takayo Nembhard was the sixth death in the carnival's history. He was attacked in Ladbroke Grove at around 8 pm BST on August 29. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but, “despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead,” NY Post reports. The fatal attack was one of seven reported stabbings at the event on the evening of August 29. The other six resulted in non-fatal injuries.

Oshian Edwards, who was his partner and was expecting his baby, said in an emotional tribute, "Takayo my sweet beautiful boy, all I can ask is why over and over again. I'm sat here with sore eyes and a heavy heart as I've cried consistently for the last 12 hours while carrying your unborn son. I will remind him daily about how great you were as a son, brother, boyfriend and friend too!"

Dr Alison Heydari, commander of local policing, said, as per Sky News, "Regrettably, on Monday evening we saw a number of violent incidents and a 21-year-old man has lost his life. Our thoughts are with his family as they come to terms with their terrible loss. A murder investigation is under way, led by homicide detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command."

Woman gets punched in the face 

A shocking video, which has over three million views, also emerged from the carnival showing a woman being punched in the face as violence erupted. The man, who is yet to be identified, move toward the woman whilst shouting and wagging his finger. She slaps him followed by him flooring her with a punch to the face. Amid the chaos, fellow festival-goers can be heard shouting “no, no, no." The woman was helped up off the ground by another woman, and the man was pulled away by a group of men.

Former cop Roy Ramm told LBC, "For most people it is safe. We saw a good day on Sunday [August 28]. Yesterday [August 29] for most of the day it was a safe place and well policed. Police have learned a great deal over many years about how to police the carnival. But there is a time, always on the last day it seems, that it degenerates. The drug sellers, the gangs, seem to reject the spirit of carnival and take the opportunity to settle scores, to mark out territory and bring out the knives." He added, "It is a tragedy, a tragedy for the family of the young man who died and a tragedy for the people of Notting Hill."