Notting Hill Carnival 2017

Just wondered if anyone was venturing up to the NHC this bank holiday weekend. Great weather, all the better to enjoy the amazing atmosphere and culture shared there. Not to mention the music at a nice audible volume (from space)

Some advice about dealing with an acid attack, as there have been numerous warnings about the likelihood of attacks at the carnival:

Nice positive response there

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If the advice helps a attack survivor, then it’s a positive post. In an ideal London, all cultures would coexist peaceful. In real London, they sometimes don’t.

The Notting Hill Carnival is well known for violence unfortunately. Now knife attacks are being replaced by acid attacks (more than one per day on average), it’s important to be prepared, as explained in the article.

I only went the once when I lived in the area but too busy for me these days. To be honest this is my favourite weekend to be in London - everyone else seems to be elsewhere so the streets are quiet. Went for a little bike ride as my wife bought an Electric Bike yesterday - picking sloes on the riverside walk, spot of gardening and out for a refreshing pint later.
Did you go?

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In reality it’s a negative post about something you don’t like. Just putting some advice that has been around for months but is at the forefront of people’s minds is a great way to play something down. If someone did similar to a post you made you would be livid.
No knife crime advice,robbery advice, alcohol advice, drugs? All happens there, and all around London all day every day.

Yeah I have to admit @Foresthillnick I’m getting a little old and tired for the excitement and energy of the main part of the carnival. If I can walk a little better tomorrow I sure will be popping along to recharge.

Your plans sound better to me though I must confess. It is indeed a great time of year to make the most of however you choose. Have fun mate.

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Watch out for bird poo too. Disgusting idea, birds indeed. Filthy creatures

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On another note, surely this advice needs a thread of its own to help spread to the masses.
Seperate from being used to play something down, the advice is sound, and a big campaign was done based on it.

Living and working in London, this is something everyone is at risk of, and should know how to deal with.

Maybe it would be worth having a thread in Crime with all the latest threats, pieces of advice (run hide tell) etc. These are all things that happen in London and affect people daily. London Prepared has lots of campaigns to take from.

Given that no one has replied to your original question, I’m guessing advice on how to stay safe at the carnival is a moot point.

As for a wider advice thread, I’d rather not see that here, although others may disagree. Unless any one knows of a specific target in SE23, I’d rather like this forum to be a haven from such concerns.

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Nick replied, sorry @Foresthillnick you are a no one now lol.

But catch 22 re the warnings. While it is nice to forget about these points that Chris raised, they are indeed valid. Hence suggesting they were to be put in Crime. The one forum that is open to discussing the less desirable topics, Inc staying safe.

To clarify - no one replied to say they were going to the carnival. I don’t think @Foresthillnick is at much risk on his meanderings today.

Do we need London-wide warnings on a SE23 forum? I can see the benefit of drawing people’s attention to the sources of information available. A closed notice board style topic would work. I can imagine an open thread on the topic needing a lot of modding, though. So, purely in my own self-interest, I’d say no!

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Agreed - safety advice is important, but only in the context of SE23 (or wider, if people post about wider topics and safety advice is relevant).

Fair enough. Anyway as you say, gone a bit off topic here and no one is bothered about NHC, so feel free to close / move etc. :slight_smile:

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Thanks Chris, always good to post information so people are prepared!
The Carnival is statistically as safe as Glastonbury so while it has a year off next year it’s probably worth reposting the advice in a couple of years for Glastonbury 2019…http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/08/fears-over-notting-hill-carnival-reveal-more-about-racism-reality

so we’re judging safety by the number of arrests now? :roll_eyes:

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I never attend NHC, not my manor & defo not my cup of tea :slight_smile:

Interesting assertion.

By comparison, 40 arrests at Glasto:

Comment from police at Glasto:

Comment from police regarding the carnival:

I’ve always heard it’s an unsafe environment so have never attended NHC for that reason!

Maybe I’ve missed out, though not worried if I have - I’d rather be safe than sorry :slight_smile:

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" Statistically, the event is about as safe as Glastonbury - if not safer, judging by the number of arrests. In 2015, Glasto was praised for its low arrest rate (75 arrests for a crowd of 135,000), but in the same year carnival had ten times the capacity and fewer than ten times the offences."

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I’ve been 3-4 times and it’s always felt fairly safe during the day - Sunday I think is family day normally.

The biggest issue tends to be the shear volume of people - I remember a few pinch points but most people seem to enjoy it. Other major issue always was lack of toilets!!! I’ve not been for years, if the kids wanted to go I’d take them and not worry about it bar the crowds.

I would not hang around at night though after the carnival myself.

These things always need to be taken in context - chances of anything happening to you there are slim and probably no worse than a night out in town, probably less.

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