Nottin Hill Carnival

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.lbc.co.uk/...g-hill-carnival-58978

Why is it that this event seems to attract some of the low-life of society, or is it just because of the Police's extra vigilance during this weekend, that scoops up these characters?

/// Those caught had been wanted in connection for a range of offences including sex crimes, drugs and theft. A convicted violent serial sex offender, wanted in connection with another serious sexual assault, as arrested as well as a known gang member in connection with a recent burglary. ///

Pretty successful eh, perhaps they should carry on with these kind of 'stop and searches'?

[THECORBYLOON]

I have had a trawl and the arrest figures I have found are as follows for the last few years

2011 245
2010 230
2009 215
2008 265
2007 206
2006 214

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.spearhead.com/0010-jt.html

/// ‘Police are actively discouraged from making arrests by senior officers for fear of sparking a riot situation, and I have seen serious criminal offences taking place while we are powerless to act... There is a significant criminal minority who exploit it in the full knowledge that the police will tread extremely lightly... The record of the Carnival is pretty appalling.’ ///

Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation,

[anotheoldgit]

FredPuli43

/// Cause so much trouble, aog? Banned? Let us assume that it causes 'so much trouble'. Why, then, do you think it has not been banned? ///

Let me return you to that black woman's attitude on the LBC phone-in.

She said "all this moaning about Carnival, they just want to get it banned, well I will tell you the 'black people' would never allow that to happen"

Was this some form of threat? Make up your own minds.

[anotheoldgit]

To verge away from the serious for a while, I thought this rather amusing.

http://www.sabotageti...e/carnival-no-thanks/

[friedgreentomato]

Interesting because according to this for 2010 it was 55!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...gland-london-11124464

[sp1814]

AOG

Couple of things - don't the figures posted by thecorbyloon suggest that the police DO make arrests?

Secondly, do you know when Glen Smyth made these comments.

Thirdly, do you think that the BNP (Spearhead is a BNP site) is the best place to go to for a balanced report on policing the Notting Hill Carnival?

[sp1814]

I've just found out with a little diggin, that Glen Smyth made these comments twelve years ago.

AOG, do you have anything more recent, and preferably from a non-partisan source?

By the way - further reading from Spearhead:

http://www.spearhead.com/9909-cv.html

The writing of the the founder of the BNP.

Nice...

[sp1814]

AOG

Are you really concerned with this woman's opinion?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

I was honestly unaware that the link I posted was a BNP site.

/// But this year - at long last - the truth came out. Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, spilled the beans. In a statement on Radio 4 at the end of the Carnival, he said:- ///

But that statement by Glen Smith who broadcast it on Radio 4, must be true no matter how long ago he said it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXue2_4WP44

[sp1814]

I recognised the name. Spearhead was the BNP newspaper for a number of years back in the late 80s).

The reason the date of the statement is important is because it (allegedky) reflects policing strategies at the time.

Twelve years is a long time...which is why it would be useful to get a more up-to-date source.

[THECORBYLOON]

fgt, this is the link I used which is dated a few days after yours http://www.bbc.co.uk/...gland-london-11132726

[bazwillrun]

"Let us assume that it causes 'so much trouble'. Why, then, do you think it has not been banned?"

PML, as if you dont know why they wouldnt dare try and ban it, you cant be that naive.