Notting Hill Carnival 2018: Thousands brave heavy rain to celebrate at annual parade

Highest number of officers in six years on duty to for bank holiday party after wave of violent crime across London

Thousands of revellers braved the heavy rain to join Notting Hill Carnival, turning the streets of west London into a sea of colour and sound.

The carnival carved its way through the streets in a mass of music, dancing and elaborate floats, with many among the soaked crowd hurling paint and coloured powder at each other in celebration.

But after a wave of violent crime across the capital in recent months, Scotland Yard announced knife detection arches had been placed at “strategic points” along the route to reassure people about their safety and the police would impose controversial extra stop-and-search powers.

The Metropolitan Police hoped the “tried and tested” arches would put off those planning to arm themselves with knives and offensive weapons, but not everybody was expected to pass through them.

They also imposed a Section 60 order across the event between 9am and midnight on Sunday, allowing police to search anyone suspected of carrying an offensive weapon or those they anticipated could become violent.

The bank holiday weekend event is also being policed by some 13,000 officers, the highest number of officers in six years and around 450 more than last year.

Singer Alexandra Burke, who was named the carnival’s first ever ambassador on Sunday, carried out her first duty in the role by opening this year’s event.

She described it as “a privilege” and said it was a bit “nuts” to be a carnival ambassador.

The year-long role will see her serve as the voice of carnival to help promote the community spirit surrounding the annual event.

She recalled going to the carnival as a child with her family and said: “The one thing that stands out for me about carnival is bringing the community together. It is people coming together and having a fantastic time.

“It is just about a good vibe, good music, good food and amazing people around you.

“So have the best day no matter what the weather is saying.”

At 3pm the music stopped for a 72-second silence in tribute to the 72 people who died following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017.

The tower block stands within half-a-mile of the parade route.

The silence was ended at the Rampage sound stage, just off Colville Square, with cheers, whistles and the booming voice of the late Aretha Franklin singing Respect.

Revellers had been asked to show respect and some wore something green in tribute of Grenfell.

Matthew Phillip, the executive director of Notting Hill Carnival Limited, wore a green t-shirt with the words “come unity” across the front.

He said: “Grenfell is very much part of our community. The people who died in the tower and survivors are part of our community. Grenfell has affected a lot of people and it is very much a live issue.

“It is not going away. We still have members of our community in temporary housing. This is to show our support.”

Mr Phillip said using knife detection arches is part of a wide-ranging “belt and braces” approach to try and make the carnival safe.

He added: “London as a whole and the UK is operating under a backdrop of knife crime, and we are working to have a safe carnival. The introduction of the knife arches is one thing we have as we to try to do that.

“There have been so many other events that have this. Notting Hill Carnival is very different because it takes place on the streets.

“We will have even more eyes and ears on the ground from the community as well as police, and I think that will help to make sure people feel safe and to identify people who come to do wrong.

“Most people who come to carnival come to enjoy themselves, and we want that spirit of safety and unity.”

Almost 7,000 officers, some from the Metropolitan Police’s newly formed Violent Crime Task Force, will be policing Monday’s event to “combat the threat of violent crime,” according to the Metropolitan Police.

This will be up from 6,100 on-duty officers on Sunday’s less busy family day.

Undercover police officers as well as officers from the force firearms and dog unit will be on duty.

The event is expected to attract more than one million revellers to its floats, food stalls and music.

A celebration of Afro-Caribbean community, the two-day Notting Hill Carnival has its roots in a 1964 London procession to bring people together despite racism and a lack of opportunity that blighted day-to-day life.

Additional reporting by agencies