Met Police officers marshalling the sound systems at this weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival have been ordered by top brass not to dance with revellers, it has been reported. All eyes are on Carnival over the Bank Holiday weekend, with tensions high over security arrangements – which have seen royal protection officers drafted in to steward the event – after last year’s carnival saw two murders and more than 60 officers injured while carrying out their duties.
On Monday, the Met issued a statement confirming the dancing ban, which emphasised that the 7,000 officers at this year’s parade will be “there to keep revellers safe, and not join in the revelling”, The Guardian reports.
A police insider said they agreed with the dancing ban, adding: “Carnival is a fantastic event but it is a serious event.”
Founded in 1966, Notting Hill Carnival is an annual celebration of Caribbean culture that has grown in stature to be the largest such festival in Europe, with over one million people taking to the streets of West London. But in recent years, it has been marred by reports of violence, while police are said to have concerns over the possibility of crushing with so many people crowded into narrow streets.
A Met spokesperson told the Guardian: “Carnival is an iconic and spectacular event which attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year to party and celebrate Caribbean culture.
“But it is also an event where there have been numerous concerns about crowd safety and crime. As a consequence, almost 7,000 officers will be deployed to this year’s event. They are there to keep revellers safe, not to join in the revelling.
“We want officers to positively engage with the carnival-goers while staying and remaining able to respond and intervene swiftly as necessary. They can’t do this if they are dancing.
“The standards of behaviour expected as part of the policing operation will be communicated clearly before the event, just as they have been in recent years.”
Notting Hill Carnival will take place over the Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday, August 24, and Monday, August 25.
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
