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| Huge crowds enjoy carnival party | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are enjoying the first day of the Notting Hill Carnival in west London. | |
| A massive police operation is under way for the two-day event with officers serving an estimated 11,000 shifts throughout the carnival. | A massive police operation is under way for the two-day event with officers serving an estimated 11,000 shifts throughout the carnival. |
| An intelligence operation began in May targeting offenders from previous carnivals, with 21 arrests so far. | |
| The event is the world's second largest street party, after the Rio Carnival held in Brazil. | |
| The Met's Chief Inspector Jo Edwards said: "We're really pleased with success of the pre-carnival intelligence operation and we've made 21 arrests so far. | |
| 'Absolutely wonderful' | |
| "We've been targeting those people where intelligence suggests they are intent on coming to carnival to commit crime and spoil what's a fabulous event for the millions of law abiding people who just want to come and have a good time over the Bank Holiday weekend." | |
| The largest crowds are due to arrive on Monday for a march which runs the route from Ladbroke Grove to Westbourne Park. | The largest crowds are due to arrive on Monday for a march which runs the route from Ladbroke Grove to Westbourne Park. |
| The theme for this year's carnival is the abolition of slavery | |
| Ros Bacon, a 54-year-old Londoner said: "I have never been before. I was scared because of the bad publicity but my friend's son is a DJ and he is here, so she convinced me to come. | |
| "It's absolutely wonderful and I'm not worried about security at all. The music is fabulous, I actually quite like hip hop." | |
| Finnish tourist Jukka Myllyniemi said: "I had heard lots of bad stories about it before but I think it's a very positive carnival, with so many people from different cultures. | |
| "The good weather has also made such a difference." | |
| Organisers said this year's theme, "set all free", commemorating 200 years since the abolition of the slave trade has been embraced by carnival goers. | |
| Professor Chris Mullard, chairman of the Notting Hill Carnival Board Ltd. said: "It's amazing how many people have taken on our theme - freedom, equality, opportunity, liberty. | |
| "The carnival has been an expression of identity but also of belonging, culturally enriching to the rest of British society." | |
| Have you been to the Notting Hill Carnival this weekend? If so, send your pictures to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk | Have you been to the Notting Hill Carnival this weekend? If so, send your pictures to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |