Police intercept armed men bound for Notting Hill 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’
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A gun was seized after police stopped a car that officers believe was travelling to Notting Hill Carnival, while another firearm was seized during a search at an entry point to the event.
Tens of thousands of people arrived in west London on Monday for the second day of the annual community celebration, flooding the streets with colour, costumes, dancing and music.
The event was marred by a small number of violent incidents, with one person stabbed and suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
A heavy police presence was visible after three people were stabbed on Sunday.
Some attendees were made to walk through metal-detecting “knife arches” as they arrived.
Officers made at least 145 arrests and seized more than 40 weapons on Monday.
In a statement, the force said: “Officers were able to stop a car in Harrow, believed to be en route to Carnival, where a firearm was seized and two people arrested.
“Later in the afternoon, officers carried out a search at one of the entry points, seizing a further firearm.
“A man who was wanted for an attempted murder in Hackney in July was spotted and arrested following a successful stop.”
Thousands of people thronged the area for Adults’ Day on Monday afternoon, billed as the culmination of the annual celebration of Caribbean culture and history.
After months of preparation, dancers showed off their flamboyant costumes and floats blasted music for spectators who blew whistles and horns.
Earlier on Monday, a senior Met officer said he was “tired of saying the same words every year” after a woman attending the 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.
The Met has called for anyone with information to come forward.
In a statement released on Monday, Mr Adelekan, who is in charge of the policing operation, said: “Yesterday we saw the first day of Carnival marred by unacceptable violence. Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality.
“This was supposed to be ‘family day’ – a celebration suitable for all ages. One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at Carnival with her young child.
“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.”
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 104 arrests on Sunday and 18 officers were assaulted, Scotland Yard said.
The total number of arrests for the two days now stands at 249, the force added.
The carnival 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.
The annual celebration has been running for more than 50 years.