Notting Hill Carnival

Carnival goes flocked to the streets of West London for the first Notting Hill Carnival since 2019. Millions attended to watch performers and steel bands entertaining the crowds. Singer Alexandra Burke joined the Utopia Band who wore breast pumps under their costumes as part of the “Pump On Parade” campaign to tackle taboos about breastfeeding and pumping in public. A 72-second silence to honour the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire was held on Monday at 15:00. Crowds clustered around the Calypso band as one street away reggae band was blaring.  Jamaican Jerk chicken thigh tossed onto the barbecue. Some residents opened their homes for the use of toilets costing £3 to spend a penny and if you are desperate it is £5. The spectacle of cultural music from Jamaican music, dancing, food, and drink was influenced by the Windrush generation.  Notting Hill Carnival over the past 55 years grown to become the second-largest carnival in the world after the one held in Rio de Janeiro.

The London Ambulance Service helped a woman who gave birth while the festival was underway on Sunday.

Takayo Nembhard, the rapper known as TkorStretch who has over 11, 000 monthly listeners on Spotify, from Bristol was attacked and stabbed to death in Ladbroke Grove at about 20:00 BST on Monday at the Notting Hill Carnival. Police tried to pull him out of a huge crowd and provide emergency first aid but later succumbed to his injuries in a West London Hospital. There were also seven reported stabbings at the event on Monday evening.  Police horse Sandown, a 14-year-old chestnut gelding died after collapsing while on duty at the carnival on Sunday. Seventy-six officers were injured across the two days, many a result of incidents involving assaults.