Cancel Notting Hill Carnival, demands police spokesman

 The Notting Hill Carnival should be cancelled because of the number of police officers who are attacked, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation has said.

The Bank Holiday weekend event in west London saw 28 police officers injured, with bottles and other objects thrown at them, blood spat at them and a potentially acidic substance thrown at them.

Ken Marsh, who leads the rank-andfile group, said: “What other event would be allowed to carry on regardless with so many police colleagues under attack?”

He said he suspected the true figure of officers injured on duty during the two-day carnival would end up being higher.

In a statement released yesterday, he said: “The Met have put out a statement saying 28 of our colleagues were injured over the weekend at the Notting Hill Carnival. As almost a matter of fact. As if this is the norm. As if this is acceptable.

“It is none of the above. It is a disgrace. Twenty-eight brave colleagues went to work this weekend and were attacked just for doing their job. This is not normal. This is not acceptable.

“There are now so many officers being injured every year at the carnival – with more than 40 last year – and let’s not forget that an officer was stabbed in 2015. What other event would be allowed to carry on regardless with so many police colleagues under attack?”

The Metropolitan Police Federation represents 32,000 officers in London. Mr Marsh said he would be taking the issue up with every level of the Met and the London Mayor’s Office.

Some 313 arrests were carried out as of 10pm on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said, many relating to drugs and offensive weapons. More than a third – 112 – were for drugs offences, while others included 58 arrests for possession of an offensive weapon or knife/blade, 37 public order arrests and 17 common assault arrests. There were 14 arrests for sexual offences, while 17 arrests were made for assaults on police officers.

In another incident, three people reported “skin irritation” not thought to be serious, while two more were hurt in a subsequent stampede, when a “mild acidic liquid” was thrown over a number of people near Ladbroke Grove on Sunday evening.

Last year, more than 450 people were arrested across the two days of festivities.