KNIFE-DETECTING ARCHES INSTALLED AT NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL FOR FIRST TIME
KNIFE arches are being installed at Notting Hill Carnival for the first time in a bid to reassure visitors.
After a wave of violent crime in the capital in recent months, the arches will be placed at “strategic points” along the route of the West London street party.
The Metropolitan Police did not disclose where the detectors will be sited.
It is hoped the “tried and tested” method will put off those planning to arm themselves with knives and offensive weapons, but not everybody will be expected to pass through them, according to the Met.
The two-day event, which starts tomorrow, will also be policed by 13,000 officers, the highest number in six years.
Superintendent Elisabeth Chapple, Met spokeswoman on the carnival, said: “We want people to come to the carnival to enjoy themselves and therefore we want to reassure people there is a significant policing plan in place working in support of the organisers to help them do that.
“One thing they may see that is a little different is that we are using knife arches.
“We understand the views of the community around the levels of youth and other violence using knives on our streets and we want to reassure them that it is safe to come to carnival.”
She said they will be placed in the street and “people flow through them”, adding: “We won’t be specifically selecting people to go through them. They are designed to go with the crowd flow and detect any people who bring a knife.”
Almost 7,000 officers, some from the Metropolitan Police’s newly formed Violent Crime Task Force, will be policing Monday’s event to “combat the threat of violent crime”.
This will be up from 6,100 on-duty officers policing tomorrow’s less busy family day.
Undercover police officers, plus officers from the force firearms and dog unit, will also be in place.
The event is expected to attract more than one million revellers to its floats, food stalls and music.
The music is set to stop for a 72-second silence in tribute to the 72 people who died following the fire at Grenfell Tower in June last year.
The tower block is within half a mile of the parade route.
Partygoers are advised to plan their journeys ahead, avoid bringing valuables and not carry too much cash.