Revellers
filled the streets of west London as the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's
biggest street festival, reached its climax with its famous
Caribbean-inspired parade.
A
multi-ethnic throng milled between the stalls and thumping sound systems,
drinking, dancing, and tasting jerk chicken as the smells of open-cooked food
wafted through the air.
Cloudy
weather did not deter hordes of party-goers from flooding the streets to cheer
on dozens of floats and flamboyantly dressed dancers parading through the west
London neighbourhood.
An extra
2,000 police officers were brought in to keep order in Notting Hill on Monday,
adding to the 5,000 on patrol for Sunday's Children's Day.
Officers
have been granted stop and search powers within the area where the carnival
takes place, while the force has advised visitors to only use mobile phones
when absolutely necessary.
Commander
Christine Jones said: "Mobile phones, especially expensive ones, are a
glittering prize for thieves.
"Don't
give them a head start by displaying them openly and only use them if it's
absolutely necessary. Pick up one of our maps instead and pre-arrange meeting
points with family and friends."
Police
later confirmed a group of 34 people were detained at Kings Cross underground
station in order to prevent a potential breach of the peace at the event.
"The
group were stopped at the station at around 3:45 pm (1445 GMT) after it was
suspected they were heading to the carnival to commit disorder," said a
police statement.
On
Sunday, young performers covered in feathers, jewels and waving flags, danced
their way along the sunny route to the sound of steel drums and calypso music.
The
carnival was founded in 1964 following disturbances in Notting Hill six years
earlier that saw clashes between whites and newly arrived immigrants from the
West Indies.
This
year's festivities were largely peaceful, police said, though one
20-year-old man was left in a serious but stable condition on Sunday after
being stabbed in the back and buttocks in Ladbroke Grove.
Scotland
Yard arrested 96 people during Children's Day, mainly for drug and public order
offences as well as robbery and assault.
Source: MSN.Com
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