Police round up '180 youths' on way to Notting Hill
The theme of this year's carnival is Welcoming The World
Monday, 25, Aug 2008 07:51
London's Metropolitan police acted to prevent a group of 180 young people arriving at the Notting Hill carnival.
A statement issued this evening said the "containment" took place outside the Brit Oval cricket ground in south London at around 16:20 BST.
The intelligence-led operation "to prevent crime and disorder" took place in Harleyford Road after police deployed in the area to prevent the group reaching the carnival.
"Police believe that some members of this group have been involved in disorder as recently as today, have historically been involved in disorder and that they would have committed acts of disorder at Carnival," the Met said.
"To allow this group to get to the event and commit disorder could have put public safety at risk."
A number of arrests were made, the Met said, without clarifying the exact amount. Those who were arrested were taken to a south London police station where they will be held until the "opportunity" to commit a breach of the peace has passed, the Met added.
As of 15:00 BST only 44 people had been arrested at the carnival today, compared to 98 yesterday.
The Welcoming the World festival, which was attended by a crowd of 600,000 at its peak, saw a parade of colourfully dressed performers, bright floats and steel bands alongside hundreds of stalls serving London's ethnically varied cuisine.
Today's procession passed through Westbourne Grove, Chepstow Avenue, Great Western Road, Kensal Road and Ladbroke Grove.
Those arrested by mid-afternoon including 23 for drugs, four wanted on warrant, four for assault and four for carrying offensive weapons.
Specialist police officers seized three dogs, believed to be pit bulls, under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Police presence was high at the carnival after 98 people were arrested yesterday. About 6,000 police officers were deployed on the carnival route with the Met, British Transport police and City of London police force cooperating to ensure safety for the crowds.
Speaking about crime at the carnival, Ch Insp Jo Edwards said the number of arrests during this year's festivities was "higher than usual".
She said: "It's due to our proactive policing tactics. It's because of our use of stop and search at points of entry.
"You would expect more arrests because we're searching more people."
Last year there were 591 crimes reported at the street party, up from 486 the year before, while in 2000 two people were murdered at the event - threatening its future.