Over a million people are descending on west London this week for an event like no other.
Colourful, celebratory and culturally significant, but it has become increasingly contentious.
For the family of Cher Maximen it’s an event they can no longer be excited about.
In their eyes, carnival has been tainted by the memories of last year when 32-year-old Cher was killed in front of her young daughter in an unexpected, unprovoked attack in the middle of carnival’s ‘family day’.
Cher’s family say she would not want the event to stop, but that its “current format” is unsafe.
“Where some people say, wrong place, wrong time. She was in the right place, at the right time, where she should have been, and still she wasn’t safe,” says Lawrence Hoo, Cher’s cousin.
Mr Hoo says the event is not set up to protect carnival-goers: “She was in the safest location possible on family day with her daughter and she was murdered directly in front of police officers, so if it can happen there, it can happen anywhere, in all honesty, it’s an unmanageable event.”
Last year, the number of carnival-related crimes were down on the year before, and the majority were related to drug offences.
Cher was one of two people murdered at last year’s event.
Lawrence Hoo, Cher Maximen’s cousin, thinks the current format of the carnival is unsafe
Mr Hoo says the threat of violence hasn’t gone away: “Really, one murder is a murder too many. I believe that has become too dangerous.
“Could it happen again? Of course it could happen again. Of course, it could happen again. You could turn up the day before, you could be there, you can step out of the front door, you’re in the site. I think it’s an unmanageable location.”
Cher’s grandmother, Vyleen Maximen, wants the international three-day event to be moved.
Vyleen Maximen, Cher’s grandmother, wants the carnival to be moved
“When I had the meeting with them, I said ‘why can’t you move it to a different place? ie Hyde Park – that’s a big enough park’. I was told ‘well, it wouldn’t be called Notting Hill Carnival’.”
For the family it comes down to concerns around who attends the street parade. The perceived lack of screening for individuals with weapons worries them.
“This is why I would like it moved,” Ms Maximen said.
“I mean, it’s not up to me. This is just my personal opinion. Have it structured, this is the way in, then the way out, but on the streets you can do whatever and just escape through the streets.”
Vyleen Maximen proudly wears a T-shirt showing images of her granddaughter
This weekend, carnival organisers say 7,000 officers and staff will be on site each day with live facial recognition cameras and screening arches used at the busiest entry points.
The option of moving the event however is not up for discussion, says Matthew Phillip, Notting Hill Carnival’s chief executive.
“Carnival should remain on the streets of Notting Hill. It’s where it started, it’s a community event. Unfortunately, it has been marred by incidents.
“Our hearts are very much with the family, but carnival should remain on in the streets of Notting Hill. What we need to do is actually tackle the root causes of the issues of violence that we have in the capital that happen 365 days of the year.”
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In the run-up to the event, the Metropolitan Police have arrested more than 100 people who had planned to attend and seized dozens of knives and firearms.
Commander Charmain Brenyah from the force explains that while the event “creates unique challenges” due to its size and scale, the security operation has been months in the planning.
“All of that work doesn’t just start at carnival. It started in the weeks and months previous to that, where we’ve been taking people off the streets to make sure they don’t come to carnival to cause harm.
“We’ve made 100 arrests of people for various offences. We’ve recalled 21 people to prison. We’ve taken 11 firearms off the street and 40 knives. This is all about making sure that people come to the event and have a safe and secure carnival.”
Carnival CEO Matthew Phillip has rejected calls for the event to be moved
Mr Phillip, the carnival’s chief executive, is adamant, the event is safe.
“We’ve put a lot of measures in place, as we always do, but even more so this year, to keep people safe,” says Mr Phillip.
“Carnival is a safe space, it’s no more unsafe than the rest of London. So I would say come and, you know, be respectful. We want everybody to come and be respectful and care for each other. But carnival it’s a safe space.”
Cher’s family say she would not want the event stopped, the young mother adored music and dancing, especially at carnival.
But moving it, her cousin Mr Hoo says, could keep everyone safe.
“They can’t put enough precautions in place to make it safe. That’s the reality. It’s absolutely unmanageable in its current format.”
