Notting Hill Carnival: 560 arrests and one man dead after two-day event in London

One man died and 560 people were arrested at Notting Hill Carnival, though the Met Police said the event passed "largely without incident".

One dead and 560 arrested at Notting Hill Carnival's 60th anniversary

One man died and at least 560 people were arrested over two days at Notting Hill Carnival in west London, the Metropolitan Police confirmed, adding that the total number of arrests was expected to rise. Daily Express reports that the force nonetheless described the event as having passed "largely without incident".

Offences recorded across the bank holiday weekend included possession of knives and other weapons. Officers seized 62 weapons in total over both days, among them a handgun recovered on Monday afternoon.

Man dies after entering canal near the carnival

A man believed to be in his 20s died after entering a canal off Kensal Road while being pursued by officers near the event. Police said they attempted to stop him as he approached the carnival at around 3.19pm on Monday, but he fled on foot and entered the water near Meanwhile Gardens.

Officers and members of the public entered the canal and pulled him out, after which CPR was performed. He was taken to a central London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4.43pm. The Metropolitan Police said the incident would be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for investigation.

Stabbings recorded but no life-threatening injuries

There were two knife assaults during the carnival — one stabbing and one slashing — neither of which resulted in life-threatening injuries, the Met said. By 8.30pm on Monday, 315 arrests had been recorded on that day alone, bringing the two-day total to 560.

Forty-eight of Monday's arrests followed identifications made using live facial recognition technology. The Met said the system also allowed officers to stop 43 registered sex offenders to verify they were complying with licence conditions. Six of those individuals were arrested for alleged breaches — three on Sunday and three on Monday.

An eight-year-old boy who had become separated from his parents was later found safe.

Commander credits collaborative approach

Commander Claire Smart said the carnival had seen a "marked difference in the prevalence of serious violence" for the second consecutive year. "This is the result of not just proactive policing and a determined effort to target our efforts on those posing the greatest risk of harm, but of a collaborative partnership approach to the delivery of the whole event," she said.

Smart also praised the role of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd in taking on event management and crowd safety responsibilities previously handled by police. "They have delivered a challenging event well and in doing so have allowed us to focus our resources on our core role of tackling crime," she added.

Revellers celebrate 60th anniversary

Thousands of people attended the event, which marked the carnival's 60th anniversary and featured parades, steel bands, live music, street food and sound stages. The carnival is billed as Europe's biggest street party.

Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said it had been "so much fun" celebrating the milestone. "The costumes, the music and the atmosphere are fantastic, and it's a real reminder of what makes carnival so special," she said, adding praise for officers, organisers and partners who worked together on the event.

One attendee, Michael, told reporters that carnival holds genuine cultural significance for London. "No matter who you are, no matter your disability, no matter your race, no matter any background, you can come here and have fun and you're going to meet people here that are going to make you feel welcome," he said.

Arrests up slightly on 2025 figures

More than 7,000 officers were deployed across the bank holiday weekend, the force had announced in advance. In 2025, the Met recorded 528 arrests over the two main carnival days, including 167 for drug offences, 50 for possession of an offensive weapon, 21 for sexual offences and 53 for violence-related matters.

Previous years saw significantly more serious violence: in 2024, eight stabbings were recorded, including the murder of 32-year-old Cher Maximen. The same number of stabbings occurred in 2023, and seven — including one murder — were recorded in 2022.

Source: Daily Express