POLICE SEIZE TASER GUN AT CARNIVAL

Police made 330 arrests in the event area during the carnival weekend which was marred afterwards by battles involving around 40 youths throwing bottles and bricks at officers.

But the Metropolitan police said they stopped a further 151 troublemakers from reaching the site through a planned swoop on organised gangs in the Oval area of London.

This prevented a repeat of shootings, stabbings, or other serious attacks against the public, which had dogged previous carnivals, the force said.

Chief Inspector Jo Edwards said "proactive policing" using stop and search tactics had help ensure most of the weekend's 850,000 visitors enjoyed the event peacefully.

She said: "The vast majority of reported crime was as a result of the stop and search powers we were using. Although we had a few assaults reported, they weren't serious."

Ms Edwards said she did not believe the later battles which happened as the Carnival was ending in Ladbroke Grove were linked to any earlier police operation against gangs.

She said: "It's disappointing that each year we see a small minority of mainly young men who don't come to the Carnival until later. They don't come to enjoy the floats and the music, they come to fight and commit acts of violence. We have seen serious incidents in previous years.

"For two hours our officers came under attack from bottles, bricks and any debris that was on the ground. These were officers who had been working hard all day.

"So what's disappointing is these people are intent on fighting but innocent members of the public get caught up in it and their Carnival is spoiled."