80 people arrested during Notting Hill carnival in London
London: The Metropolitan Police Service has said its officers arrested 85 people on the first day of the Caribbean carnival in London’s district of Notting Hill, although no serious incidents were registered during the event.
“As of 21:30 on Sunday [20:30 GMT], there had been 85 arrests,” the police said in a statement.
Most of those arrested were for possession of weapons, drugs or for sexual assaults, the statement read.
“As ever we saw very large crowds who made their way from across London and beyond … Our officers will respond decisively where this takes place which is evident from the 85 arrests made thus far,” Ade Adelekan, a deputy assistant commissioner and the head of the operation for Notting Hill Carnival, was quoted as saying in the statement.
At the same time, he added that the number of arrests was “broadly consistent” with expectations the police had for the first day of the carnival. The police also noted that the first day had passed without serious incidents thanks to security operations.
Notting Hill Carnival is an annual street festival that takes place on the final weekend of August to honor the culture, arts, and heritage of the Caribbean people.