Three men arrested after mother stabbed while attending Notting Hill Carnival with her child

Three men have been arrested over the stabbing of a mother who attended the Notting Hill Carnival with her young child on Sunday, police said.

A 20-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder, while two others, aged 22 and 24, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

All three were detained at separate addresses in Hammersmith and Fulham on Tuesday morning and remain in custody.

The 32-year-old mother was caught in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men before being stabbed on Golborne Road shortly before 6pm on Sunday. She remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The Metropolitan Police described the crime against the mother as "the most awful violence" and that they "very narrowly avoided a fatality" when she was attacked.

“While the investigation is ongoing, initial enquiries suggest the woman got caught up in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men. It’s not yet clear if they were known to her," they said.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met’s spokesperson for Notting Hill Carnival, added: “Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the woman who is fighting for her life in hospital and with her loved ones.

"She came to Carnival to have fun, with her young child, and was caught up in the most awful violence.

“These arrests are a significant step in the investigation. They are the result of a determined effort by detectives who have worked around the clock to identify, locate and arrest these suspects.

"We should not underestimate how much more difficult those vital early stages of an investigation are when they take place in the context of a busy, crowded event like Carnival.

The mother is among eight people who were stabbed during Notting Hill Carnival over the two days, with two others also in critical condition in hospital.

Sunday's event saw three stabbings, and a further five were reported on the second day of the carnival on Monday.

There was also an incident involving a corrosive substance, and the force made at least 230 arrests on the carnival's final day, the Met said.

Three firearms were recovered, on Monday, two at Carnival and one during a vehicle stop in Harrow involving individuals believed to be on their way to the event. At least 41 other weapons were seized.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is in charge of the Carnival policing operation, said his officers are “tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival”.

"Yesterday we saw the first day of Carnival marred by unacceptable violence. Three people were stabbed and we only very narrowly avoided a fatality," he said.

“This was supposed to be ‘family day’ – a celebration suitable for all ages. One of those in hospital, a 32-year-old woman whose condition remains critical, was at Carnival with her young child.

"We are tired of saying the same words every year. We are tired of telling families that their loved ones are seriously injured, or worse. We are tired of seeing crime scenes at Carnival."

Along with the mother on Sunday, a 29-year-old man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while police await an update on the condition of a 24-year-old man who was also stabbed.

There were 104 arrests on Sunday, Scotland Yard said, adding that 18 of its officers had been assaulted.

Arrests were made for a range of alleged crimes including assault on an emergency worker, assault, possession with intent to supply, sexual offences and robbery, the police said.

A man wanted in connection with an attempted murder in Hackney, east London, in July was stopped and arrested after being spotted by officers at the event.

Some attendees on Monday were made to walk through metal-detecting “knife arches” as they arrived at the event.

Officers standing in pairs were dotted along the streets, while a police helicopter hovered above throughout the day.

Mr Adelekan added: "Carnival is a community event and the vast majority of people come to celebrate, to dance, to enjoy music and have a fantastic experience.

"It is the responsibility of all who value this event, who want to see it as the celebration it should be, to speak out and speak up about the violence that continues to overshadow it.

"Whether it is information about a previous incident now under investigation, or information about someone coming to Carnival today to commit crime, please tell us.

“If you know anything that could help us, please call the police directly or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously. It is no exaggeration to say that you could save a life by doing so.”

The carnival is Europe’s biggest street party and is billed by organisers as “the greatest community-led event on the planet”.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the carnival as “part of the very fabric of our city and an amazing way to bring communities together”.

Around a million people are expected to attend over the bank holiday weekend with about 7,000 officers on duty across the celebrations.

Thousands of people thronged the area for Adults’ Day on Monday afternoon, billed as the culmination of the annual celebration of Caribbean heritage, arts and culture, which has been running for over 50 years.

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After months of preparation, dancers showed off their flamboyant costumes and floats blasted music for the spectators who blew whistles and horns.

Away from the parade route, vendors cooked up a mix of food on open barbecues, while sound systems played everything from rare groove to house, samba, reggae and ska.

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