Cliff Notes
- The foster sister of Cher Maximen, who was fatally stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival, emphasised the urgent need to address safety concerns surrounding the event.
- Tanya Jacobs highlighted the impact of knife crime on communities and called for government action to tackle root causes to protect future generations.
- Following Maximen’s murder, there were eight reported stabbings at the 2022 carnival, raising ongoing concerns about public safety at this iconic event.
Growing safety concerns at Notting Hill Carnival must be addressed, says murder victim’s relative | UK News
The foster sister of a woman who was fatally stabbed at the Notting Hill Carnival has called for “growing safety concerns” about the “iconic event” to be addressed.
Speaking outside the Old Bailey shortly after a man was convicted of murdering Cher Maximen, Tanya Jacobs said the annual event in west London deserves “protection support”.
Ms Maximen, 32, was attending the carnival’s family day on 25 August last year when she was stabbed in the groin. She died in hospital on 31 August.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, 20-year-old Shakeil Thibou was found guilty of her murder.
“This iconic event deserves protection support by prioritising public safety through collaborative planning and innovative strategies, we can honour and safeguard the joy and inclusivity the carnival represents.”
Ms Jacobs said the loss of Ms Maximen, who was stabbed in front of her daughter, had caused “immeasurable sadness”.
She described her foster sister as “pure magic… radiant, loving, passionate and kind”.
“Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways,” Ms Jacobs said.
She added the “senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom”.
Ms Jacobs also spoke about knife crime, which she said “continues to devastate communities across the UK”.
She added: “The government must urgently address the root causes, the systematic failings in education, children’s services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people, offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them.
“This is not just about reducing crime, it’s about saving lives. Restoring hope and building [the] safest and stronger communities.”
There were eight stabbings reported across last year’s Notting Hill Carnival. They followed the 10 reported in 2023 and the seven recorded in 2022, according to a Freedom of Information request.
Notting Hill Carnival, which began in the 1960s, is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK.
The two-day event is free to all and culminates in a large parade on the Monday, filled with vividly costumed performers, music and dancing.