More than 400 people were arrested over the two main days of Notting Hill Carnival 2025, with two stabbings reported but no life-threatening injuries. Metropolitan Police confirmed 423 total arrests by Monday evening, including 223 on Monday alone.
The stabbings occurred in Powis Terrace and Oxford Gardens during the festivities. Police made 177 arrests within the carnival area on Monday, with another 46 on the approaches to the event.
Enhanced security operations
Live facial recognition technology led to 52 arrests across the weekend. The breakdown of offences included 32 assaults on police, 46 weapons possession charges, and 70 cannabis-related arrests.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward said: "This year we have proactively targeted those who have attempted to come to Carnival to cause harm to others. We have used live facial recognition, knife arches and our stop and search powers to identify and arrest more than 400 suspects."
Stark improvement from 2024
The arrests represent a significant security success compared to last year's violence. In 2024, two people died at the carnival - Cher Maximen was stabbed in front of her daughter, while chef Mussie Imnetu later died from a head injury.
Eight people were stabbed in total during the 2024 event, with 355 arrests made. Ward emphasised that this year's arrests "have prevented some of the serious violence we have seen at previous Carnivals."
Cultural celebration continues
Despite the heavy police presence, an estimated one million people attended the celebration of Caribbean, African and Brazilian diaspora culture. Groups including Bajan Raw Licquer, Mahogany, and Mas Africa paraded through west London in 26C temperatures.
Maria James, 34, said: "It feels like a piece of the Caribbean right here in London." James Lewis, who travelled from Birmingham, added: "It's amazing to see so many cultures coming together."
Massive clean-up operation
Kensington and Chelsea Council cleared an estimated 150 tonnes of rubbish after Sunday's festivities. The council expects to collect 300 tonnes over the weekend, deploying 180 staff and 45 vehicles working overnight to prepare the area for normal business on Tuesday.
Sources used: "MyLondon", "GBNews", "Daily Mail", "Express", "The Standard" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
