The Metropolitan Police are stepping up security for this year's Notting Hill Carnival, deploying knife arches and live facial recognition cameras as they brace for another weekend of potential violence following record arrests last year. Around 7,000 officers and staff will patrol the event, alongside more than 3,000 stewards – double the usual number – after crowd control duties shifted from the Met to organisers, backed by an extra £4.66 million grant from Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. The heightened response comes despite Conservative London Assembly figure Susan Hall warning the Mayor to "get a grip" on security, and police federation chair Paula Dodds cautioning that officers are "already stretched beyond belief".

Around two million revellers are expected at Europe's largest street carnival, which marks its 60th anniversary this year. Police measures include facial recognition and numberplate checks to locate wanted offenders, arrests of gang members and VAWG suspects, bail bans for high-risk attendees such as domestic abusers and sex offenders, weapon sweeps, and hotel checks targeting child exploitation and county lines activity. Last year's policing operation cost around £15 million, a sum the Met hopes to reduce this year despite what it calls "unprecedented budget challenges", while organisers are also adding a bigger control room and more CCTV cameras.