NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL

What has the festival I loved as a kid turned into?

Over the past 3 years I’ve become aquainted with a quite a few people that have very different views to me. I would say they are more genuine than people I thought were friends for years. It’s not quite an enemy of my enemy type thing but I will say that i’ve learnt a lot and those I used to lean towards have no idea what they’ve created now.

What makes these people I’ve met different. Is that they are not weak at heart. They are not people that will get told off, or not get their own way, conspire with others and then return 10 years later and destroy your life. (at least I don’t see that from them) With these people you can have a conversation disagree and move on. And sometimes our views still fall on different sides of the fence. I think this is one of those times.

So Carnival.

I’ve heard a lot of people saying lot of things over the last week about Carnival or as it’s now known. “Notting Hill Carnival” so as someone who grew up on top of it - literally looking down out my window. And also In it as part of bands, and then when I got older, in the crowds - I thought I’d add my thoughts.

I’ve seen many aspects of Carnival and I’ve always had a good relationship with it, but that’s because I know what it is. I won’t get into the history of it. You can google that, but I can tell you as the son of a Trini mum. It is/was a celebration of our culture, people from various Caribbean islands getting a chance to meet, mingle, dance, eat, drink with people from back home. With our food. Our music. It was vibrant, exciting and everything people wanted to remember about “back home”. And feeling free while doing it. A chance to be yourself and not be judged.

Me in costume. Playing Mask Carnival 88

Now I’m not saying bad things didn’t and don’t happen. The very sad and unfortunate deaths in and around the event this year make it particularly bad one. And those are inexcusable but let’s not pretend Carnival is some outlandish unregulated crime spree.

Released by Carnival organisers. All violence condemned

I defy you to put 1-2Million people in ANY area that has a 3 mile circumference, giving the area inside, give or take some - about a 1.1 square mile space and there not be crime. I wish it wouldn’t, but unfortunately crime is always going to happen but let’s think about this logically. It has nothing to do with a culture or just Carnival now descending into Chaos because of any particular government. It’s always been this way and truthfully it isn’t what it could be.

Hear me out. It’s 1-2 million people in a. square mile of space, with Alcohol and music and weed, drugs. The closeness of the crowd and everything that comes with that both positive and negative. And still ONLY 230 arrests this year

As mentioned above, very sadly 2 people have died. Cher Maximen and Mussie Imnetu. Which will put this on record to be a bad Carnival crime wise and quite rightly. I hope their families get justice and that the culprits get their time. I’m not endorsing or forgiving any of this activity nor do I want to take awake from anyone who experienced it, or is a real victim of any of the above, but in reality the very essence of Carnival is against that as a whole it’s not as bad as some would have you believe. The negative is highlighted and blown up and when that’s seen, of course people will shout ban it or move somewhere else.

No. It’s ours! It should stay here where we were put. Where “they” put us. North Kensington 1960’s Was not that fancy, a little grubby, not near the water, and kind of out the way. Who knew it would be what it has become.

I understand the Right leaners using the crime stats this year as an attack on Kier and Sadiq. Highlighting the crime, and the miscreant behaviour that makes Carnival look lawless is easy, but all of that is all political tactics and scare mongering. The actions of those few idiots who would do this mad shit anywhere they went, do not reflect the 99.9847% of people that go there to have a good time.

The other danger is the side I used to lean towards. Culture’s are being eroded by left leaners surprisingly. It’s in the guise of “helping” which is how they tend do it. Any march, rally, party that doesn’t fit their agenda they find a way to be shocked by it and label people either intolerant, or Abusive. With carnival it’s -

- “The music is too loud, It’s noise population, we need to think of the residents.”

- “It’s all very Aggressive, it would be better for people in the community if it wasn’t here.”

- “The dancing is too sexual. It borders assault and the young shouldn’t see this. We need to protect those would could be vulnerable.”

- “It’s just too violent I’m scared for my safety”.

- “They piss everywhere. It’s a cesspool of debauchery.”

And yes I saw the ring doorbell footage of the “Hundreds” or in truth about 6 people pissing in the courtyard of a family house. But answer me this. Where should they pee? Expose themselves In the street? Sometimes you have to go and there are not enough toilets at the event. It honestly wasn’t that big a deal. I’ve seen both men and women doing that coming out of nightclubs, concerts and other events for decades. Should we talk about festivals?????

What these puritans really mean is they want an area where everyone thinks and looks and talks like them. They want to move into one of the coolest areas in London and make it a little heaven for them and their friends who all read the Guardian, and listen to Grime because they think they should, not because they really are in to it, or want to be. They want to feel cool, have an oat milk Latte on Golbourne road and tell their mates they have black friends from grove while plotting to fight battles that nobody asked them too. And sure, we can live with them, but unlike them we’re tolerant. But this Carnival. This is something the real community can and should hold on to.

Carnival is not “much worse.” This is how it’s always been. If anything it’s better. In fact one of the early killings in the 70’s was a man my mum knew and back then you couldn’t find any culprits easily. There were violent riots in the 80’s. I remember.

People who love Carnival love it and people who don’t, don’t. If you don’t, when it comes around, leave town. And don’t give it this whole “Why should I leave my home?” Carnival was most likely here before you and you knew it was a thing before you came to the area so give it a rest.

They do the same in Toronto - Trying to shut their Carnival down. But they wouldn’t dream about trying it in Brazil. But go and check the crime stats there. Multiple shootings yearly and there aren’t many calls to shut it down.

Remember 2024 was ONLY 230 arrests out of about 1.5 million people. That is approximately 0.0153%. Comparatively you probably get a higher percentage at most football matches.

Glastonbury 2024 - had 121 - reports - 30 arrests and there was only 200k people. which is 0.015% and basically the same ratio. I don’t see the outrage for that. And for the record, in the crime stats there were. sexual offences and 30 reports of violence against people. No deaths this year but 2 last year and there have been more. Should we ban Glastonbury?

And what do you think would happen if Carnival was moved to Hyde park as some have asked where CCTV cannot watch almost everything. How are you going to find perpetrators who drag people into bushes etc? The man who stabbed Cher Maximen (RIP) would never have been found, On this occasion he was found in 3 days. In fact I knew he was found on Tuesday as a policeman I know mentioned it the day before it hit the press. I look forward to him getting his Life sentence.

When I was little I went to carnival every year with mum. I was in costume as you saw above. I saw riots in front of me and fighters part as mum walked through holding my hand.

As a teenager. I know friends that got stabbed and I knew people who were doing the stabbing. I was in the throng, The sea of people getting involuntarily shoved and moved, crushed, touched up, grabbed and groped by women, but also trying to catch a whine as you do.

Into my early 20’s I would jump up and whine the whole route with my girl (Now wife) who would also enjoy the event, but would sometimes get propositioned, felt up or leered at in the crowd. Excusable? No, but it’s minimal and you either stand your ground or move on quickly before the “What?'' beef starts and their friends try to beat you up even though they are in the wrong. We’d be out all day. Then I’d drop her safely to her place in Westbourne grove and walk home alone through the drunk after partiers.

Point is. When you go to Carnival. You know what it is. These things are not wanted but it just is. That’s also happened to her/me on crowded tubes, in Trafalgar Square New years crowds. Should we ban that too? You have to know where you are and what you’re in because Carnival has always been this, and through all I experienced, I never really felt unsafe in the grand scheme of things. I’m not saying it’s all roses but Carnival is what it is.

I don’t go as much now. My kids had a different life and changes in my life made it hard for me to go and just be in the crowd. My kids are more nervous and cautious than I was and Media of course tells them Carnival is not great even though me, their mum and Grandma tell them different.

I took them this year and it reminded me how much I like it. I tried to call my 84 year old mum but couldn’t get through because she was not only deep in the crowds. She was in costume and dancing around the route.

And apart from her saying that “too many girls had their batty out”. She had a great time.

Don’t believe the hype from people that don’t know what it’s like or what it’s about. they have an agenda, and no event is perfect. None. There are ugly aspects of everything, but mostly good shines through here.

I’ve lived Carnival from every way you can and honestly it ain’t that bad. Ultimately it’s whatever you want it to be.

NC

Mum in costume. ready to go. Carnival 2024

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