In a statement released yesterday (August 27), London police said the number of victims involved in knife attacks at the Notting Hill Street Festival has now reached eight, including three in critical condition with a poor prognosis. Notably, the victims were attacked in separate situations: there were five knife attacks recorded on Monday (August 26) and three on Sunday (August 25).

The statement said that authorities arrested at least 230 people on August 26, with nearly 50 suspects in possession of sharp weapons, and seized three guns. Earlier on August 25, London police also arrested dozens of people on charges of possessing weapons. More than 35 police officers involved in maintaining security during the three-day festival were also attacked and injured.

The London Metropolitan Police Department added that despite installing many metal detectors at the festival’s entrances, the large number of visitors had overloaded the authorities and caused them to lose control.

Notting Hill Carnival is one of the world’s largest and longest-running street festivals, celebrating Caribbean heritage, arts and culture for over 50 years. The annual festival attracts around 1 million people. Around 7,000 police officers have been deployed to ensure security for this year’s event.

A wave of knife attacks has been on the rise in the UK in recent days, causing concern among the country’s authorities. Although the attacks are mostly spontaneous and not motivated by extremist terrorism, since the knife attack in late July that left three young girls dead, the British government has been concerned that far-right forces will continue to exploit knife attacks to call for protests and riots across the country.