Pressure grows on bosses to make Notting Hill Carnival tickete

Pressure is growing on the organisers of Notting Hill Carnival to make it a ticketed event after a chef and actress died following yet more outbreaks of violence.  

Actress and model Cher Maximen, 32, was stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter on Sunday last week, while chef Mussie Imnetu, 41 – a former protege of Gordon Ramsay – suffered fatal head injuries the following night. 

They had both been in intensive care before police announced their deaths on Sunday. 

The annual celebration of Caribbean culture sees two million revellers pack into the relatively narrow streets of Notting Hill, which critics say poses a challenge for the Met. 

Peter Bleksley, a former Scotland Yard detective, argued the carnival should become a ticketed event. 

‘I don’t want the carnival banned at all, far from it … But this criminality, this bloodshed has to stop,’ he told LBC. 

‘In my view the best way of doing that would be to reposition it, move it to Hyde Park for example. Make it a ticketed event and thereby holding it in an area which can be better policed’.

Rick Prior, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation of rank-and-file officers, is among those arguing the event has become ‘impossible to police safely’. 

‘Serious consideration needs to be given to at least scope out alternate venues,’ he told The Times. 

‘What came out of this carnival and previous carnivals is the significant risk of crushing. It is up to the event organisers to consider the specifics, be it other venues or doing tickets in certain aspects of the event.’

Ticketing was introduced to control crowds at London‘s New Year’s Eve firework display in 2014 by Sadiq Khan‘s predecessor, Boris Johnson. 

Notting Hill Carnival is organised by Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, which has repeatedly ruled out moving the carnival from the streets where it was founded in 1966 or making it ticketed. 

The community-led organisation said it was ‘shocked’ by the ‘tragic’ deaths. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the deaths ‘deeply distressing and shocking’ and added: ‘This terrible and appalling violence has no place on our streets.’

Both Mr Khan’s office and the Home Office have so far declined to comment on calls to impose restrictions on the carnival. 

Detectives have launched murder investigations into the two deaths at this year’s carnival. 

The Met’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: ‘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.’

Remembered yesterday as ‘a lovely, caring funny person’, Ms Maximen was innocently caught up in a fight between rival groups of men when she was stabbed in the groin. She suffered a cardiac arrest, a collapsed lung and lost 20 units of blood.

Harrow East Tory MP Bob Blackman said: ‘This should be the last Notting Hill Carnival that takes place in the streets. In the wake of these dreadful deaths and other violence we have witnessed this year, the event in its current form cannot continue.

‘It must be moved to a central London park or another venue which makes it easier for the police to pick out the trouble-makers and to control the crowds.

‘Conservatives on the London Assembly have called for this before. What a terrible shame they weren’t listened to.’

Across the weekend, 349 arrests were made: 72 for possession of an offensive weapon, one for possession of a firearm (though later reports suggest police seized three guns), 13 arrests for sexual offences, 53 for assaults on emergency workers and 49 arrests for possession of drugs.

On top of this, five stabbings were reported – including one involving a corrosive substance.

Met Police Federation chairman Rick Prior said the event had ‘outgrown its current footprint’. 

He added: ‘Alternative venues, be it Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens, should be scoped to allow for a safer policing operation. We had officers isolated over the weekend, unable to move because they were surrounded and packed in.’

Last week, Mr Khan said the carnival was part of the ‘fabric of the city’ and praised its ‘fantastic scenes’ and the ‘amazing way’ it brought communities together.

His rival in last year’s London mayoral race, Conservative Susan Hall, shot back, saying: ‘He’s quick to criticise the far-Right riots – which of course are wrong – but when it comes to stabbings, possession of firearms and drug-taking on his doorstep, he’s embarrassingly quiet.’

Detectives are now appealing for information from diners at the Dr Power restaurant in Queensway who tried to stop the attack on Mr Imnetu.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie said: ‘Mussie’s family, friends and colleagues in London, Dubai, Sweden and Eritrea are inconsolable.

‘Our investigation is well advanced but we are very keen to hear from anyone who can piece together Mussie’s movements between 13:00hrs, when we know he left the Arts Club in Dover Street, W1, and when he arrived at Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, at 22:30hrs.

‘The attack happened around 23:20hrs. Customers at the venue tried to help stop the attack. 

‘We need to speak with these people and I urge them to contact us.’

He said officers would be outside the restaurant tomorrow night to hand out appeal leaflets and speak with local people.

In a statement the organisers of Notting Hill Carnival said: ‘We stand together against all violence and condemn these acts, which are against all carnival values and the millions of people who come in celebration of them.’

A spokesperson for the Mayor said: ‘The deaths of Cher Maximen and Mussie Imnetu were heartbreaking and the Mayor’s thoughts remain with their families and friends at this truly terrible time.

‘The violence that was seen is shocking, completely unacceptable and a betrayal of the values that Carnival was founded to celebrate. It’s important that we don’t see a repeat of these horrendous incidents.

‘The Mayor is committed to doing what he can to support a safe and enjoyable Notting Hill Carnival for all, and, as with all major events, will be working closely with partners to thoroughly review the weekend.’

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The recent serious incidents seen at Notting Hill Carnival are deeply troubling and those guilty of violence will face the full force of the law.

‘We continue to receive regular updates from the Met police, who responded swiftly to make arrests and protect the public.’