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Arrests after carnival stand-offs | Arrests after carnival stand-offs |
(41 minutes later) | |
Police were pelted with bottles during two stand-offs at the Notting Hill Carnival. | |
About 180 youths were stopped and seven arrested at south London's Oval cricket ground as officers stopped the group from going to the weekend event. | |
Later officers were hit with bottles when they clashed with 40 people in a separate incident in Ladbroke Grove. | |
A total of 330 people were held during carnival with weapons such as knives, a Taser gun and CS spray being seized. | |
One eyewitnesses described the Ladbroke Grove clash as a "full-scale battle". | |
One officer suffered facial injuries during the skirmish, police said. | One officer suffered facial injuries during the skirmish, police said. |
History of disorder | History of disorder |
In the first incident, on Monday afternoon, officers stopped a group of about 180 people in Harleyford Road, outside the Oval. | |
Police said 151 were taken to a police station, of which seven were formally arrested for public order offences or possession of pointed or bladed items. | Police said 151 were taken to a police station, of which seven were formally arrested for public order offences or possession of pointed or bladed items. |
Officers said they believed the group, which included many teenagers, were on their way to the carnival to commit crime. | Officers said they believed the group, which included many teenagers, were on their way to the carnival to commit crime. |
I saw police with blood on their faces, I saw police getting carried away, I saw people who were throwing missiles getting carried away because they were getting batoned as well Pat Mason, eyewitness | |
Some members of the group had a history of being involved in disorder at the carnival, police said. | Some members of the group had a history of being involved in disorder at the carnival, police said. |
Later in the evening police were involved in sporadic clashes in Ladbroke Grove, near the carnival route in west London, where unprotected officers were hit by bottles and other objects. | Later in the evening police were involved in sporadic clashes in Ladbroke Grove, near the carnival route in west London, where unprotected officers were hit by bottles and other objects. |
Up to 40 people were involved in the clash, which continued for more than two hours, and one officer suffered facial injuries after being hit by a bottle. | Up to 40 people were involved in the clash, which continued for more than two hours, and one officer suffered facial injuries after being hit by a bottle. |
Ch Insp Jo Edwards said: "For over two hours our officers were faced with a hardcore, mainly of young men, who came to Carnival not to enjoy the event but to fight, commit crime and cause trouble." | Ch Insp Jo Edwards said: "For over two hours our officers were faced with a hardcore, mainly of young men, who came to Carnival not to enjoy the event but to fight, commit crime and cause trouble." |
Pat Mason, from Kensington and Chelsea Council, was at Ladbroke Grove and saw the events unfold. | Pat Mason, from Kensington and Chelsea Council, was at Ladbroke Grove and saw the events unfold. |
He said: "They were all picking up bottles, throwing bottles, throwing bits of stones, throwing anything at the police they possibly could. | He said: "They were all picking up bottles, throwing bottles, throwing bits of stones, throwing anything at the police they possibly could. |
"I saw police with blood on their faces, I saw police getting carried away, I saw people who were throwing missiles getting carried away because they were getting batoned as well. | "I saw police with blood on their faces, I saw police getting carried away, I saw people who were throwing missiles getting carried away because they were getting batoned as well. |
"So we had a full-scale battle going on." | "So we had a full-scale battle going on." |
'Extremely disappointing' | |
Ch Insp Edwards said the majority of the 330 reported crimes during the two-day carnival, which attracted about 850,000 people, were as a result of stop and search powers. | |
Last year 206 people were arrested over the same period. | Last year 206 people were arrested over the same period. |
Carnival organisers said the trouble which flared after the event was "extremely disappointing". | Carnival organisers said the trouble which flared after the event was "extremely disappointing". |
But Michael Williams, from London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said : "More than a million people had a great time at the Notting Hill Carnival and enjoyed an amazing spectacle of colour, energy and music." | But Michael Williams, from London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said : "More than a million people had a great time at the Notting Hill Carnival and enjoyed an amazing spectacle of colour, energy and music." |