Nearly one in five arrests at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival involved the use of live facial recognition technology (LFR), according to the Metropolitan Police. The event, held over the recent bank holiday weekend in west London, saw a total of 636 people detained, marking a modern record for the annual celebration.
The carnival, which this year marked its 60th anniversary and drew up to two million attendees, experienced 242 arrests on Sunday and 394 on Monday. Charges included weapons offences, drug possession and supply, sexual offences, and assaults, some targeting emergency workers. During the event, a man believed to be in his twenties died after entering a canal near Kensal Road while being pursued by officers.
For the first time, the Metropolitan Police deployed live facial recognition cameras not only on the approaches to the carnival but also within the festival area itself. The technology operates by comparing facial measurements captured by cameras against a watch list containing images of suspects wanted for various offences or individuals subject to bail conditions or other legal restrictions. When a match is detected, officers are alerted to stop and question the individual.
This deployment resulted in 121 arrests, representing 19 percent of the total, a significant increase from 61 arrests linked to LFR at the 2025 event, when cameras were limited to the carnival’s periphery. Among those detained this year were seven registered sex offenders found to be in breach of their conditions, and 44 individuals wanted for violence against women and girls.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell described the enhanced use of live facial recognition as a “game changer,” emphasizing its role in enabling officers to identify and intervene with wanted offenders in real time, potentially preventing further harm.
The Metropolitan Police also reported the seizure of 68 weapons, including a handgun. Officers were granted temporary stop-and-search powers during the event, allowing them to detain individuals on reasonable suspicion. In the lead-up to the carnival, the Met collaborated with Greater Manchester Police to arrest seven suspected gang members alleged to target music festivals and public events.
Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, the event’s organising body, noted that while arrests often attract attention, the number involved represents a small fraction of the overall attendance.
The decision to expand LFR deployment followed a notably violent 2024 carnival weekend, which was marred by two murders and heightened concerns over public safety. However, the use of facial recognition technology has drawn criticism from privacy advocates. Big Brother Watch described it as a “mass surveillance tool” that treats all attendees as potential suspects, raising questions about civil liberties and the scope of police powers at public events.