Notting Hill Carnival Sees 636 Arrests With Drugs, Sex Offences and Assaults on Emergency Workers

A total of 636 arrests were made during this year's Notting Hill Carnival policing operation, with offences including drug possession and supply, assaults on emergency workers, weapons possession, sexual offences and public order offences.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the final figure on Tuesday, 1 September, after the two-day event in west London. The total was 108 higher than the 528 arrests recorded during the main days of the 2025 carnival, an increase of about 20%.

Police said 242 arrests were made on Sunday and 394 on Monday, with 193 taking place on roads approaching the event. Despite the rise in arrests, the Met said serious violence was markedly lower for a second consecutive year, with two knife assaults recorded, neither causing life-threatening injuries.

Facial Recognition Produces 121 Arrests

The Met expanded its use of live facial recognition technology during this year's carnival, generating 214 alerts and resulting in 121 arrests.

Officers also stopped and spoke to 86 registered sex offenders in the area. Seven were arrested for breaching their conditions or notification requirements.

Stop and search resulted in 68 weapons being seized, including a handgun. More than 7,000 officers were deployed across west London, while organisers took on additional crowd-management and stewarding responsibilities.

Commander Smart said proactive policing and collaboration with organisers had contributed to the reduction in serious violence. The Met has not provided a full numerical breakdown of the 636 arrests by offence.

Man Dies After Entering Canal

The weekend was overshadowed by the death of a man in his 20s who entered a canal after officers attempted to stop him near Harrow Road at about 3.19pm on Monday.

The man fled on foot before entering the water near Meanwhile Gardens, the Met said. Officers and members of the public pulled him from the canal, with police beginning CPR before paramedics continued treatment and took him to a central London hospital. He was pronounced dead at 4.43pm.

Metropolitan Police Commander Claire Smart described the death as a 'tragic incident' and said any death following contact with police is referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). She urged the public to avoid speculation while the circumstances are investigated.

Arrests Rise as Serious Violence Falls

The 2025 carnival recorded 167 drug offences, 50 arrests for possession of an offensive weapon and 21 for sexual offences, according to Met figures. Those numbers provide context for the overall increase but do not show which categories drove the rise in 2026.

The higher arrest total does not necessarily indicate a more violent carnival. The Met said serious violence fell for a second consecutive year, while most of the event passed without serious disruption.

The figures include arrests made both within the carnival area and on surrounding roads, meaning the total covers the wider policing operation rather than incidents occurring solely inside the main carnival footprint.

The carnival marked its 60th anniversary, drawing large crowds for parades, music and celebrations of Caribbean culture. A 72-second moment of reflection was held on Sunday for the 72 people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

The final figures present a mixed policing picture, with arrests rising by about 20% while serious violence continued to decline. The circumstances surrounding the man's death remain subject to an independent IOPC investigation.