Notting Hill carnival set for flourish
The Notting Hill carnival is the second-largest in the world
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Monday, 27, Aug 2007 08:23
The final and biggest day of the Notting Hill carnival is underway in west London, with police revealing an estimated 600,000 people have lined parade routes throughout the day.
Yesterday an estimated quarter of a million people attended the designated children's day of Europe's biggest street festival.
The theme for this year's Caribbean parade, second only to Brazil's Rio carnival in size, is centred on the 200th anniversary of the end of the slave trade.
"It's amazing how many people have taken on our theme - freedom, equality, opportunity, liberty," commented the chairman of the organising company Professor Chris Mullard.
"The carnival is an expression of identity but also of belonging, culturally enriching to the rest of British society."
The Metropolitan police have so far made 70 arrests at the carnival, with the reported crime rate down 43 per cent down on last year.
The Met's carnival intelligence operation has attempted to clamp down on people coming to the annual parade to cause trouble and commit crime.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison said: "The raids are part of our ongoing operation to arrest or disrupt trouble makers ahead of this year's carnival.
"Bail conditions will be sought to further reinforce that these people should stay away from carnival. We will do all we can to stop the small minority from spoiling this vibrant event for the thousands of people who enjoy it every year."