The boss of Notting Hill Carnival has branded criticism of its reputation as “unfair” as police prepare to deploy 7,000 officers to west London following hundreds of arrests at last year’s event.
Chief executive Matthew Phillip said the annual street parade’s safety record is “very good” compared to other events of a similar size in the capital.
He spoke about carnival’s 60th anniversary as the Metropolitan Police said officers will “relentlessly” pursue the “small minority who come intending to do harm” at the event, with more than 330 people banned from attending as part of bail conditions.
Police action ahead of the event
The force worked with Greater Manchester Police to arrest seven people on Wednesday who are suspected of being part of a gang that targets music festivals and events. Intelligence suggested it has previously targeted the carnival, and may have planned to do so again.
Speaking in Notting Hill, Mr Phillip told the Press Association: “You know, unfortunately, London has an issue with violence.
“It’s unfair that carnival is always targeted as a cause of it.
“Carnival is a victim of crime rather than a perpetrator of crime, and people should do more research into the facts.”
Safety record and policing costs
Asked about what a successful carnival will look like for him, Mr Phillip said: “You know, for us, carnival is always successful. It’s a major achievement.”
In 2025, the Met said it made 528 arrests across the two main days of the carnival, including 167 for drug offences, 50 for possession of an offensive weapon, 21 for sexual offences, four for violence with injury and 49 for other violence.
In 2024, there were eight stabbings, including the murder of 32-year-old mother Cher Maximen, with the same number the previous year, and seven including a murder in 2022. The cost of policing the event has also jumped, rising from £11.7 million in 2023 to £15.7 million in 2025.
Organiser's message to troublemakers
Asked about his message to those looking to cause trouble at the event, Mr Phillip, who has been chief executive since 2018, said: “Don’t come. You’re not welcome.”
He added: “We want people to come and celebrate carnival in the spirit that it’s meant to be, and that’s bringing people together, no matter what religion, race they are, to come and celebrate.”
The Met said it began its policing operation “many weeks before” the carnival by identifying and disrupting those most likely to be involved in violence.
Policing tactics and additional funding
The force will use “intelligence-led tactics” such as stop and search and live facial recognition technology at the carnival, with the latter identifying 98 people, including 30 registered sex offenders, last year.
Officers have been given temporary powers to conduct more stop and searches under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, while 76 zombie knives, 30 flick knives and a machete have been seized.
The force has also worked with the probation service to make sure sex offenders who are likely to attend the event will have conditions attached to their licences preventing them from doing so.
Commander Claire Smart, gold commander for Notting Hill Carnival, said: “Our message is simple: come and enjoy carnival, look after one another, respect the event, the communities hosting it and the police officers, stewards and other emergency services working to keep people safe.
“But if you’re coming to commit crime, to target others or to engage in violence – stay away or know that we will be work relentlessly to identify you and take action.”
Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met’s spokeswoman for the carnival, said it was a “considerable budgetary challenge”. City Hall gave organisers an extra £4.6 million grant this year to double the number of stewards and improve the use of specially installed CCTV cameras along the parade’s route.
“While we recognise that the carnival organisers have had additional funding this year … that cost has not necessarily been transferred into police funding,” she said.
She hopes the extra City Hall investment means the Met can divert resources to “core policing responsibilities” in the future. She also said the “overwhelming majority” of people who attend the carnival do not cause trouble, despite the history of “serious violence”.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he was “proud to have stepped forward once again” and to have granted an extra £4.6 million to the organisers of the carnival.
“Notting Hill Carnival is one of the largest street festivals in the world and it’s fantastic that this community-led celebration of Caribbean history and culture is celebrating its 60th anniversary,” he said.
“Throughout the decades, Carnival has welcomed people from all backgrounds to enjoy fantastic food, fashion and music, and this year Londoners and visitors from across the globe will once again come together to enjoy a wonderful celebration of our capital’s diversity and unity.”
Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which has previously claimed that 89% of officers said they felt unsafe while working at carnival, said the welfare of officers must be “paramount”.
She said: “One assault on a police officer is one too many and their welfare must remain a top priority for senior officers at the force… and politicians.”
In 2025, 55 arrests were made for assaults on police officers, two of whom needed hospital treatment. One suffered a broken nose and the other a serious bite to the hand.
