‘Disaster’ carnival ends in fights, mugging, looting

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 8

‘Disaster’ carnival ends in fights, mugging, looting

International

NZPA-Reuter

London

London's West Indian carnival has ended with street battles, muggings, and looting for the second year in succession.

After the violent finish the police said they had made 227 arrests in the two days. During pitched battles with gangs of black youths, 16 policemen and more than 50 civilians were taken to hospital. One youth and one policeman were on the critical list with stab wounds. An organiser called the carnival “a disaster.” Left behind in the deserted streets of Notting Hill yesterday were smashed police coaches and a carpet of broken glass, bricks, and splintered boxes. A carnival organiser, Mr Louis Chase, said: "I am ashamed at what has happened ... we must hold a post-mortem ... we must

8, identify the causes. We must,! * search hard to provide re- I Jmedies.” p i The violent end of the; - carnival came after an esti-l ) mated 200,000 people had i ■ peacefully danced and 1 - swayed to the sound of steel t 1 bands through Notting Hill 1 while policemen kept a low j ■' profile on the fringe of the i celebrations. j But after dusk the scene i 1 quickly changed. Gangs of L 1 black youths openly attacked: t whites, then bombarded po-!f I‘licemen with missiles. 1 For the first time during p rjthe carnival the police | r i moved into the crowds, , - hiding behind plastic shields' i and commandeered dustbin:! t lids. They fought runningn

battles with the youths. Bricks, bottles, and cans were thrown. Carnival organisers used loudhailers to plead with revellers to go home. Earlier, black carnival stewards were attacked when they tried to quell trouble after groups of young toughs had robbed spectators, kicked people, and divided their booty while shocked revellers looked on. Despite the robberies the police kept out of the area. Last year when 500 people were injured during carnival rioting, black community leaders blamed the large police contingents for provoking the violence.