Crackdown at Carnival cuts arrests — but acid attacker injures two

A MASSIVE security crackdown at the Notting Hill Carnival appeared to have worked last night, with arrests down by about half on last year.

But as a million people joined in the hottest Carnival on record, police reported that two people were hurt when acid was thrown over part of the crowd.

The Met said a ‘mild acidic liquid’ was thrown near Ladbroke Grove in London on Sunday evening and the two injured revellers were treated at the scene.

‘Three people also reported skin irritation injuries not thought to be serious,’ said a spokesman.

Around 8,000 police flooded the streets, making 220 arrests for offences including violence, carrying knives, sex assaults, theft and drugs.

The total, far less than the 454 last year, followed a three-week crackdown in which hundreds of street-gang members were banned from attending.

Police feared they would use the event to settle scores — and were also concerned that crowds could be targeted in a Barcelona-style terrorist attack.

Steel barriers, concrete blocks and weapons checks were all in place to cut the risk. The huge operation left hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy a riot of colour and sound at Europe’s largest street festival, which runs over two days.

Flamboyant dancers, DJs, Caribbean drummers and booming sound stages paraded through the packed streets of west London.

On both days many partygoers staged a minute’s silence to honour the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, and the public were asked not to take selfies with the tower in the background.

Residents’ spokesman Samia Badani said revellers have been shocked by the sight of the blackened tower, saying: ‘When people come here and see it, it just hits them.’

In soaring temperatures, emergency services had urged revellers to drink more water and stay in the shade.

London Ambulance Service said 90 paramedics at a temporary ‘field hospital’ had treated more than 420 patients on the first day alone. However, many had simply drunk too much alcohol.

‘Police feared a terror attack’