Notting Hill Carnival clean up begins after 'hottest ever' weekend
People were still trickling home from Notting Hill Carnival as the sun rose today after the hottest summer Bank Holiday ever.
As the clean-up of cups, bin liners and plastic bottles seen lining the streets of west London begun, police announced more than 300 arrests were made on Sunday and Monday.
Music filled the streets as around one million people piled out to mark the long-standing celebration of Caribbean heritage in the capital as temperatures soared above 30°C.
Police have said they arrested 353 people across both days of the annual celebration, with almost half the arrests drug-related.
Scotland Yard said 242 arrests were carried out on Monday, with 111 arrests the previous day.
At least 30 Met officers had suffered minor injuries during the carnival by 10.10pm on Monday, with 37 arrests recorded for assaults on police.
There were also 37 arrests for the possession of offensive weapons and 162 for drugs.
British Transport Police (BTP) also arrested 22 people on Monday for alleged offences including assaulting emergency workers and possessing a weapon.
Tyreece Springer, 19, of Manbrough Avenue, East Ham, has been charged with obstructing a search and assaulting an emergency worker at Stratford Station on Monday morning, BTP said.
A 17-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly possessing a bladed article after being stopped and searched at Stratford.
Carl Lee, 28, of Falcon Avenue, Grays, was stopped at Notting Hill Gate Station on Sunday and later charged with possessing pepper spray, assaulting an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly.
Lee will appear in court this morning.
The officer he allegedly assaulted has returned to work after being released from hospital.
Police were given extra stop and search powers for the duration of the carnival via a section 60 order.
Commander Dave Musker, the Met’s lead officer for Notting Hill Carnival 2019, said: ‘Although I am happy with the smooth running of the festivities, I am, once again, extremely disappointed that a number of people feel that they can assault my officers who are working in very difficult circumstances to try and protect everyone in attendance.
‘Officers put themselves on the frontline and should, under no circumstance be assaulted for protecting the public. We will adopt a zero tolerance approach to any assault on police officers.’
Assistant chief constable Robin Smith said revellers could expect to see a ‘high visibility presence’ of officers into the early hours of today as the carnival concluded.
Aside from the arrests, the carnival celebrations in scorching heat saw revellers enjoying a colourful parade, with performers armed with spray bottles filled with water to cool the crowds off.
Stewards accompanying drum bands handed out bottles of water to dancers decked out in colourful feathers.
Despite the heat, paraders continued to enjoy the weekend.
Jordan Leigh, 29, led drummers from the London School of Samba in the role of Rainha de Bateria, or Queen of the Drums.
A Brazilian dancing tradition, Ms Leigh called it an ‘honour’ and ‘a dream come true’ to be leading the band at her fifth Notting Hill Carnival.
Ro, in her 30s, danced with troupe Paraiso on Monday.
She called carnival ‘amazing’ and said: ‘It’s so liberating for women, and for men.
‘To have that freedom to celebrate your bodies.’
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