Police said more than 500 people were arrested over the two days of Notting Hill Carnival, including 61 after the use of live facial recognition. The figure is higher than last year’s 349 arrests, which occurred during the carnival when Cher Maximen, a 32-year-old mother, and Mussie Imnetu, a chef, were killed. This year saw a reduction in serious violence, with four stabbings and no life-threatening injuries reported. The Met did not publish a full breakdown of offences, but it provided figures that included 167 arrests for drugs offences, 50 for possession of an offensive weapon, 21 for sexual offences, four for violence with injury, and 49 for other violence. There were 55 arrests for assaults on police officers, with two requiring hospital treatment; one suffered a broken nose and the other a serious bite to the hand.

In 2024 there were eight stabbings, including the murder of Cher Maximen, with the same number of stabbings the previous year, and seven including a murder in 2022. The total number of arrests has continued to rise, with 209 in 2022 and 275 in 2023. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward said the event’s growing size required a large policing operation, with over 7,000 officers deployed on each of the two days. He noted the use of live facial recognition, a CCTV network, a police helicopter and knife arches at key entry points, used alongside additional stop and search powers. He also highlighted arrests linked to live facial recognition, including a registered sex offender, a suspect accused of stabbing someone five times with a machete, and another who had been on the run for 10 years. Mr Ward praised organisers for publicly urging anyone planning violence to stay away, saying it had made the event safer. Officers also arrested about 100 people in the run-up to the carnival and seized weapons including more than 40 knives and 11 guns. Authorities have warned of overcrowding and the risk of a major tragedy; improvements were made this year, but concerns remain. A second part of an independent crowd-safety review is due to report in October.