POLL OF THE DAY: Should the Notting Hill Carnival be cancelled? – VOTE NOW

Nearly 250 people were arrested at Notting Hill Carnival across two days.

Officers said the alleged crimes included possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a firearm, assault on an emergency worker, assault, possession with intent to supply, sexual offences and robbery.

Four people were also stabbed, with one woman fighting for her life in hospital.

Two people were even arrested for possession of a firearm.

A former police officer referred to Carnival as “unsafe”, with the celebrations being ruined by “lawless youths”.

Kevin Hurley told GB News: “Things liven up towards the evening and certainly tonight, it becomes pretty much an unpoliced, lawless place.

“You certainly would not see me personally at the carnival from now on because I don’t regard it as a safe place to go.”

He added: “Just from the police point of view, they try and put as many people out there in the field as they can and they try and moderate some of the excesses that occur, certainly on the last night of the carnival.

“But you know, I don’t think there’s going to be any solution. There’s been talk in the past it should move to Hyde Park and so on, but the issue on it is there’s just a huge number of people is extremely noisy, a lot of drink a substantial number of youths who go along there who are relatively lawless in their behaviour.

“Mix all of that stuff in, you’ll get trouble. I mean, if the police try and make an arrest anytime from about five onwards tonight and it goes wrong, you’ll end up with rioting. It’s as simple as that.”

With that in mind, do you think that Notting Hill Carnival should be cancelled? Have your say.