Notting Hill Carnival policing costs rise to £15.7m

The financial outlay for policing the Notting Hill Carnival has seen a substantial increase, climbing from £11.7 million in 2023 to an estimated £15.7 million for 2025. This rise in expenditure accompanies a significant police presence and enforcement measures ahead of and during the annual event.

Arrests and Bans

Last year, the Metropolitan Police reported over 500 arrests across the two main days of the carnival. The majority of these arrests, 167, were for drug offences. Other charges included possession of an offensive weapon, sexual offences, and violence. Ahead of this year's event, the Met stated that more than 330 individuals have been banned from attending as a result of bail conditions. The force plans to deploy over 7,000 officers, with additional support from more than 3,000 stewards, double the usual number.

The Met has also conducted proactive operations, seizing 76 zombie knives, 30 flick knives, and a machete prior to the carnival. Seven arrests were made in conjunction with Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of involvement in a gang targeting music festivals, with intelligence suggesting potential targeting of the Notting Hill Carnival.

Carnival Organisers' Perspective

Matthew Phillip, chief executive of Notting Hill Carnival, described the criticism directed at the event as 'unfair'. He stated that the carnival is 'a victim of crime rather than a perpetrator'. Phillip emphasised the event's spirit of bringing people together and expressed that those intending to cause trouble are 'not welcome'.

Phillip considers Carnival to be 'always successful' and a 'major achievement'. He highlighted the importance of celebrating carnival in its intended spirit, which is about unity across different religions and races.

Funding and Safety Measures

City Hall has provided an additional £4.6 million grant to the carnival organisers this year. This funding is intended to support an increased number of stewards and enhance the use of CCTV cameras along the parade route. Commander Charmain Brenyah of the Met acknowledged this as a 'considerable budgetary challenge' for the organisers, noting that the additional funding has not necessarily translated into increased police funding.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan stated his pride in providing the extra grant. Commander Claire Smart urged attendees to enjoy the carnival, look after one another, and respect the event and its workers, while warning those intending to commit crime to stay away.

Violence Statistics

Last year's carnival saw eight stabbings, including one murder. This figure matches the number of stabbings in 2024, which also included one fatality. In 2022, there were seven stabbings, one of which was a murder. The Met plans to use 'intelligence-led tactics', including stop and search and live facial recognition technology, which identified 98 individuals last year, including 30 registered sex offenders.

The force has also collaborated with the probation service to implement conditions on sex offenders' licences, preventing their attendance at the event. Despite the history of serious violence, the Met acknowledges that the 'overwhelming majority' of attendees do not cause trouble.

The Met has stated that its policing operation began 'many weeks before' the carnival, focusing on identifying and disrupting individuals likely to be involved in violence. Commander Brenyah expressed hope that the extra City Hall investment would allow the Met to divert resources to 'core policing responsibilities' in the future.