Woman ‘abducted’ at carnival

Press, 29 August 1978, Page 8

Woman ‘abducted’ at carnival

NZPA-Reuter London Scores of police moved into the Notting Hill district of West London at dawn yesterday to search for a 22-year-old French woman who disappeared on Sunday night during the capital’s annual West Indian carnival. Eyewitnesses told the police that the woman was abducted by a gang of coloured youths during the celebrations.

A police spokesman would confirm only that the girl had gone missing and that officers were concerned for her safety. Police sources said the woman’s name and other details were being withheld because detectives feared that publicity would harm their chances of finding her. All the capital’s police were given a description of the woman, who is known to speak English.

The carnival has been the: scene of violent street fight-i jng in past years between 1 coloured youths and the police but this '’ear’s event has gone peacefully. The police said the mood over-all was “happy and peaceful,” but 14 people l were arrested. Thirteen were charged with a variety of offences, six of them French youths detained after a cannister of riot gas was thrown at police. Seven policemen were treated for minor injuries, three of them for inhaling noxious fumes and the rest for wounds caused by flying bricks and a bottle. A total of 250,000 people were expected to watch the colourful street processions which lasted two days, ending yesterday. Before the carnival, the ! London police chief. Sir David McNee. appealed for calm, fearing a repetition of the last two years incidents when dozens of policemen and civilians were injured. As the carnival began on Sunday the police were standing by in case of seri■ous trouble, but were not i needed. A police helicopter ikept a watch on the carnival.