Once in a while, we see a glimmer of common sense come from the Conservative Party. On this occasion, it came from the London mayoral candidate Susan Hall. She sparked a heated debate by suggesting that the iconic Notting Hill Carnival should be relocated to a different venue.
I would say that the Carnival needs to be shut down. Hall’s proposal comes after a series of stabbings and assaults on police officers during this year’s event.
The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual Caribbean Carnival event that has taken place in London since 1966. It is held on the streets of the Notting Hill area, typically over the late August bank holiday weekend.
The Carnival has become known for its violent crime as each consecutive festival appears more disorderly and violent. Over the weekend, eight men were injured in stabbings, with 308 arrests made, including 57 for alleged assaults on police officers.
The recent surge in violence at the Carnival has raised concerns among authorities and the community. A 29-year-old man is currently in critical condition following a stabbing on Warfield Road, while a 19-year-old man was seriously injured in a separate incident in Ladbroke Grove.
Six other men sustained non-life-threatening injuries in further stabbing incidents throughout Monday evening. We are told that this event will bring abundant culture to the city. Still, when the crimes range from possession of offensive weapons, assaults on police officers, drug possession, and sexual offences, it is hard to see what kind of culture it brings.
While carnival organisers will publicly disavow acts of violence year after year, we are still left with the carnage and bill to clean up, all so the descendants of Caribbean immigrants can put on a bizarre dancing display.
The London Mayoral Candidate expressed her concerns on LBC radio, stating, “Every year, we witness accidents, stabbings, and various incidents that we would rather avoid. I talk to police officers daily, and they don’t want to be there because they know they are in danger.”
Opposed to these views, Symone Williams, whose father was one of the founding members of the Notting Hill Carnival in the 1960s, strongly opposes the idea of relocating the event. Williams argues that moving the Carnival out of its original neighbourhood would undermine its historical significance, stating, “If the event was taken out of Notting Hill, then it’s no longer Notting Hill Carnival. That makes no sense.”
The Notting Hill Carnival is becoming increasingly inconvenient for the Government and London authorities. Every year, it highlights the rapid demographic changes happening in London and the nation. The Carnival brings to light the profound cultural differences in a pluralistic society and the consequences of these differences.
Suppose you feel the government should stop its progressive experiments and return to a family-orientated Nationalism emphasising building and maintaining a strong national identity. Then, the Homeland Party is where you belong.
