Stabbed woman 'caught up' in fight at Carnival

Three men have been arrested over the stabbing of a 32-year-old mother who the Metropolitan Police believes was caught up in a fight between two groups of men at Notting Hill Carnival.

The Met said the woman, who was with her child at the time of the attack at the west London event, remains in a critical condition "fighting for her life" in hospital.

One of the men, aged 20, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder.

The others, aged 24 and 22, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. All three remain in custody.

The force said the woman had gone to the carnival with her young child "to have fun", but "initial enquiries suggest the woman got caught up in the middle of an altercation between two groups of men".

It added investigators were not clear if she knew the men.

Cdr Charmain Brenyah, the Met’s spokesperson for Notting Hill Carnival, said: "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.

"I’d also like to acknowledge the incredible work of the officers, including police medics, who arrived so quickly - delivering emergency medical treatment and securing the scene to preserve vital evidence."

Seven people were stabbed or sustained slash wounds in other, separate, incidents during the two-day event.

A 41-year-old is in a critical condition in hospital after sustaining a head injury during an assault in Queensway on Monday evening, the Met said.

A total of 61 police officers had been assaulted during the event, with some being headbutted, spat at and two having glass bottles thrown at them.

Some 349 people were arrested throughout Sunday and Monday, most commonly for drug offences or possessing an offensive weapon, the force said.

Three firearms were recovered and there were also 49 arrests for other weapons.

One of those arrests was made in connection with an attempted murder in Hackney.

In comparison, there were eight stabbings and 275 arrests at the 2023 event.

About one million people had been expected to attend the carnival.

Organiser Notting Hill Carnival said it worked "closely with the Metropolitan Police and many dedicated partners", adding "there is no excuse" for violence and "that is not carnival".

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