Notting Hill Carnival celebrates London’s diversity after racist attacks

LONDON — In 1959, Trinidadian activist Claudia Jones organized a Caribbean carnival in St Pancras Town Hall in London in response to race riots, planting the seeds for Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street parties.

Revelers on Monday, the second day of this year’s carnival, said Jones’ message of unity had never been more important, after racist riots in late July were sparked by false information online about the suspected killer of three young girls in a knife attack in Southport, northwest England. “Everyone comes together (at the carnival). You see people from different countries just flocking together on the streets,” said Jocelyn Kuyaziwma, 28.

“I feel like (the carnival) is a step in the right direction in terms of what I would like Britain to be on a daily basis,” said Kuyaziwma, who lives in Wales, and came to London to be part of Mangrove Mas, one of the carnival’s oldest masquerade bands. 

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Matthew Phillip, the Notting Hill carnival’s chief executive, told Reuters the event was Britain’s biggest celebration of inclusion – “of the things we have in common, rather than focusing on our differences”.