Overview

• The three-day event runs August 23–25 with full routes and schedules published, including the return of J'ouvert at 6am on Sunday, and about one million attendees expected.
• Intelligence-led Met operations before the weekend resulted in around 100 arrests, 21 recalls to prison and the seizure of 11 firearms and more than 40 knives, with 266 people now subject to conditions barring attendance.
• Policing plans include live facial recognition on approaches to and from the area, extensive CCTV and screening arches at busy entry points, with support from British Transport Police.
• The Equality and Human Rights Commission has questioned safeguards around facial recognition, and Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has sought to reassure campaigners about its fair use.
• Frontline officers, via the Metropolitan Police Federation, voiced fears of assaults and potential crowd crush risks after last year’s two deaths and 349 arrests.