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Should Notting Hill Carnival be banned after a record 560 arrests were made?
Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's largest street festival, celebrating Caribbean culture and attracting up to two million people over the August bank holiday. In 2025 it recorded 528 arrests over its two main days, mainly for drug offences, weapons possession, sexual offences and violence, with four non-life-threatening stabbings. For the 2026 60th anniversary, police deployed over 7,000 officers, banned more than 330 people from attending, and reported 243 arrests on the first day while praising the positive atmosphere.
21 Opinions
The problem is those who think they can get away with bad behaviour. There were 2 million people attending, only 1 in approx every 3,500 got arrested. A minority who have no common sense, or thought for anyone at the Carnival, who enjoy the dressing up, music and dancing. They want to spoil the fun. Anyone who gets arrested, should get an outright ban from the Carnival for life. Repeat offenders banned, locked away, then when the Carnival is over, they get to clean up.
It’s abundantly clear that it’s disrupting the locals and required them to vacate their properties and even board them up! It costs millions and results in 250 odd arrests! At the very least they should remove all public funding and force it to relocate away from residential streets. Also. Funny bigs the MSM label it peaceful but 11 arrests at the UTK event was right wing violence but 250 odd arrests include some very serious rape and knife crimes are not! Pure propaganda!
As others have said, it should be ticketed, with entry points and security in place. The problems have occurred too often to allow it to continue in its present state. If they aren't willing to adapt, then would be time to consider cancelling it.
It should be heavily regulated - metal detectors, curfews, more police, whatever is necessary to crack down on crime. But an outright ban? That's needless fun-policing.
Time has run out for this "festival " , I don't know Londonstan so don't know about suggestions to move it to Hyde Park, however I do believe it should be paid for by organisers like every other venue
Yes. The figures are grim: weapons, sexual offences, stabbings, thousands of officers, hundreds banned before the gates. That is a known risk sold as multicultural richness. Unite the Kingdom was thuggery on sight. This is celebrated. If an event needs an army and a pre-ban list, it has failed. Streets and safety first. Stop it.
I can't think of any event that would continue to go ahead with such a poor record.
No, but only if ALL policing costs and related expenses are covered by the organisers.
This is just an annual showcase of degeneracy & criminality. If I was West Indian I would be thoroughly ashamed that my culture can only be expressed through violence murder theft assault & rape. And if the native population behaved this way those praising this ‘ diversity’ would be the same ones demanding the closure of this annual event. It’s overt degeneracy.
It isn’t a celebration of culture. It’s the use of culture to justify an expensive, out-of-control and dangerous event. Any event that needs to have safe zones for victims of sexual assault should not be allowed to take place.