Should the Notting Hill Carnival be scrapped?

Question

With 480 arrests at this years Notting Hill Carnival, is it now time to pull the plug on this event?

I for one, don't think so, as those arrested represent a tiny minority of the 1 million people who attended. What do you think?

Answer 1

Been saying this for the last 20 years. They won't scrap it. The old bill get a lot of results on August Bank Holiday from it.

It ups their crime solving figures. It will never be banned - EVEN THOUGH it is nothing to do with British Culture.

Answer 2

the carnival so much more than drugs and crime... it has... erm... ah... i got nothing  

Answer 3

Pull the plug on this event?

I don't think so.  There may have been 480 arrests but what percentage of the total number of people who attended is 480?! -- If less than 3 percent then let the carnival live on !

By the way, a curiosity.... do you know the origin of the word "CARNIVAL"?

'carni.. comes from 'carne' = flesh  ( eg as in 'carniverous')

...'val' the later part of the word 'festival'

Put the two together = 'carnival'   or.... festival of the flesh.  And what a festival it is in Brazil....  a feast to the eyes.   :-)

The Germans and the Swedes love Brasil's samba:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amaTLiE1L...

And we all love Brasil's festivals of the flesh whatever form they may take:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhJOTt8-v...

YouTube - Sabrina e Marlene Matos na Praia de Nudismo

Answer 4

No! But they do need to tighten up the security and get more police helicoptors on the job - just one isn't good enough!

Answer 5

It is something that doesn't appeal to me as I have a low tolerance of noise.Having said that thousands and thousands of people love it, how sad it would be, if it were banned just because of a small minority of thugs and thug-esses, who would be h**l bent on destroying anyones fun wherever it might be. I say keep it and maybe police it a little bit more.

Answer 6

Absolutely not.  The police do a difficult, but a wonderful job of patrolling the event, and keeping it safe for the people who attend and want to enjoy the spectacle without any of the violence.  By this time last year, we had already heard of numerous stabbings and even a shooting (I believe), but this year we've heard about pro-active policing, intelligence-led operations, and more effective crowd control.

In virtually any event, there will people there who are coming to cause trouble, or who end up causing trouble - it's not for these people to dictate what events can be run in the city.

I've been to the Carnival for the two years I've lived in London, and loved every minute of it!

Answer 7

Yes it should - Rio have theirs in the Sambadrome now because of all the hassle.  Let London do it in Wembley and stop hoodies and other undesirables hassling everyone on the streets in the name of ethnic integration every year.

Answer 8

It's not something I enjoy - the last time I went I got lifted off my feet by the crowds! - but 480 arrests among 600,000+ revellers is nothing and the carnival brings about £100 million into London (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/londo... so I think it should carry on.

Answer 9

no it is now an event that gives loads of people joy, just because a handful of no good for nothing scum who are out to bring trouble to any event so i say carry on the good work with the carnival

Answer 10

no , i went and im 15 , carnival is actually historic because its about uniting the black and whites and appreciating west indians

i was at rampage and a gang from london , no lie about 50 of them ran past rampage and it ruined it , i saw about 5 fights break out and a boy with a knife , it just shows the people who go to carnival purposely looking for a fight , but i think even though a lot of policemen were there they blocked off too many places which p***ed a lot of youths off

Answer 11

I don´t think so.

If you get I million people together in any city in the world at any type of event, there will be crime and arrests. Human nature.

The positive side of the carnival that is enjoyed by the people who attend and those of us who watch it around the world outweigh the negatives.

Besides, internationally what is reflected is a huge,colourful successful, multicultural affair. The number of arrests don´t make the news in other countries.