A former inspector claims Notting Hill Carnival is ‘the epitome of dual policing’ as more than a million people descend on west London to enjoy the festivities.

Notting Hill is one of the UK’s longest running street parties and celebrates Caribbean culture with colourfully dressed performers parading through the streets, dancing and music.

But carnivals in the past have also been marred by violence. There were eight stabbings and 275 arrests during the 2023 event, and 7,000 Met Police officers will be deployed to the streets of Kensington.

Despite the high number of arrests and heavy police presence, a retired Met Police Chief Inspector claims officers are reluctant to make arrests at the event for fear of being labelled racist.

Mike Neville spoke to the Daily Telegraph and delved into the growing conspiracy theory that there is a two-tier policing system in Britain.

Members of Mangrove Steelband perform at the Panorama evening of Notting Hill Carnival

A pub has been boarded up in preparation for London’s Notting Hill Carnival

The Notting Hill Carnival parade route will cover a three and a half mile loop, starting and ending at Westbourne Park Underground Station

Mike Neville (pictured) spoke to the Daily Telegraph, where he addressed the growing conspiracy theory that there is a two-tier policing system in Britain

He said: ‘If the behaviour of Notting Hill Carnival was repeated at football matches or other events it would be banned.’

Mr Neville claims that many partygoers openly smoked illegal drugs in front of police officers at the event without fear of arrest, which would be evidence to support his accusation.

Scotland Yard rejected claims that a two-pronged policing approach was used at the event.

Chief Constable Brenyah told the Telegraph that police have search powers, allowing them to take weapons off the streets and intervene if someone is committing violence.

Commander Brenyah admitted that the large number of people present poses a potential danger and is “a serious cause for concern.”

Businesses and residents have cordoned off their properties in preparation for the carnival.

On Saturday, artists competed at the Panorama night of Notting Hill Carnival. This is the UK’s largest steel band competition, where five bands perform a ten-minute composition from memory, without sheet music.

On Sunday, Children’s Day is held, with family-friendly activities and a parade, with young people dancing through the streets in colorful costumes.

It is sometimes also called Family Day.

The Adults’ Parade is held on Monday and is described by organisers as the highlight of the carnival with ‘party vibes’, but it is also where most arrests are made.

Met spokesperson Charmain Brenyah said she grew up near the event’s west London venue and had “many fond memories of the music, costumes, floats and fantastic atmosphere”.

But she added: ‘Unfortunately, we know that for a minority of people, Carnival is an opportunity to commit crimes or engage in violent confrontations.’

The Met has promised a very significant and proportionate police presence.

“Officers have been briefed and are aware of their powers,” Commander Brenyah explained.

“They’re going to act proportionately. The main focus of the event is to make sure we support a safe and secure carnival.”

The Met said it will deploy a specialist crowd management unit for the second year in a row to monitor crowd size and flow.

To staff the event, the Met officers are joined by colleagues from the City of London Police and British Transport Police.

Members of Mangrove Steelband perform at the Panorama evening of Notting Hill Carnival

A person dances as participants perform during the Panorama evening of Notting Hill Carnival

Participants perform during the Panorama evening of the Notting Hill Carnival

Participants perform during the Panorama evening of the Notting Hill Carnival

Crowds fill the streets on the second day of Notting Hill Carnival on August 28, 2023

A young man brandishes a machete at Notting Hill Carnival in West London last year

Rick Prior, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said many “hardworking” officers would miss “valuable time to rest and be at home with their loved ones” to police the event.

“We wish our hardworking colleagues a safe and secure policing operation at Notting Hill Carnival,” he said.

“Many are missing valuable time to rest and be at home with their loved ones to work on this demanding event over the long weekend.”

Transport for London (TfL) advised people travelling to the carnival to plan their journeys in advance, warning that some stations could be much busier than usual.

The Labour Party described the event, which was first held in the 1960s, in a social media post on Saturday as a “vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture and black history through music, art and dance”.