The Metropolitan Police said it arrested 636 people over the course of the Notting Hill Carnival operation after the event saw widespread police activity on Sunday and Monday — and confirmed that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been notified following the death of a man who entered a canal while being pursued by officers.
Scale of operation and arrests
In an update issued on Monday morning the force said 242 arrests were made on Sunday and a further 394 on Monday. Of those detained, 193 were taken into custody on the approaches to the carnival, with the remainder within the event footprint.
Offences recorded during the policing operation included possession and supply of drugs, assaults (including assaults on emergency workers), possession of weapons, sexual offences and public order matters. Officers carrying out stop-and-search recovered 68 weapons, among them a handgun.
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total arrests | 636 |
| Arrests on Sunday | 242 |
| Arrests on Monday | 394 |
| Arrests on approaches | 193 |
| Weapons recovered | 68 |
Use of live facial recognition and sex offender checks
The Met said its expanded deployment of live facial recognition technology contributed to 121 arrests, and that officers stopped and spoke to 86 registered sex offenders at the event. Seven of those were found to be in breach of their notification requirements or conditions and were subsequently arrested.
- 121 arrests associated with live facial recognition deployment
- 86 registered sex offenders stopped and spoken to
- 7 arrested for breaching notification or conditions
Death after contact with police under investigation
The force confirmed a man entered the canal near Meanwhile Gardens after being pursued by officers. He was pulled from the water by officers and members of the public, given CPR and transported to a central London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4.43pm. Enquiries are ongoing to inform his family, the Met said.
“This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the man who has lost his life,” Commander Smart said, adding that any death following contact with police is passed to the IOPC for a full investigation.
The Met has urged people to avoid speculation while the independent probe is carried out and acknowledged the efforts of those who entered the canal to attempt a rescue.
Context and implications
Notting Hill Carnival remains one of Europe’s largest street festivals and has, in recent years, posed significant operational policing challenges: managing large crowds, preventing weapons and drug supply, and protecting vulnerable people. The force’s use of live facial recognition — increasingly controversial — will be scrutinised in the wake of both the high arrest figures and the death during the operation.
Campaigners and civil liberties groups have repeatedly expressed concern about biometric surveillance at public events, arguing it risks misidentification and a chilling effect on lawful protest and attendance. The Met’s figures will likely prompt renewed debate about the balance between public safety and individual rights, particularly as the IOPC examines whether police contact played any part in the fatality.
Police also reported assaults on emergency workers among the offences recorded, underlining the pressures faced by frontline staff during crowded public events. The recovery of a pistol among the weapons seized will draw attention to how firearms enter public spaces and the effectiveness of preventative policing in such environments.
The IOPC will publish findings if and when its inquiry is concluded. Meanwhile, the Met has stated it will continue to support that independent process and has appealed for restraint from those speculating about the circumstances of the man’s death.
Further operational and investigatory details have not been released while inquiries continue.
