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| Luton carnival: 'Ugly' scenes and arrests after event | Luton carnival: 'Ugly' scenes and arrests after event |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Four people were stabbed during "ugly" scenes of disorder after the end of Luton Carnival, police have said. | Four people were stabbed during "ugly" scenes of disorder after the end of Luton Carnival, police have said. |
| Officers formed cordons to keep groups of youths apart when trouble broke out in the town centre at about 20:15 BST. | Officers formed cordons to keep groups of youths apart when trouble broke out in the town centre at about 20:15 BST. |
| Missiles were thrown at officers, who also used batons to break up fights, and six people were arrested. The carnival itself passed off peacefully. | Missiles were thrown at officers, who also used batons to break up fights, and six people were arrested. The carnival itself passed off peacefully. |
| Bedfordshire Police appealed for information and video footage, some of which has been posted online. | Bedfordshire Police appealed for information and video footage, some of which has been posted online. |
| Police said the carnival, in Wardown Park, finished without incident at about 18:00 BST. | |
| But a large fight broke out later in the St George's Square area and four people were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Several others were less seriously injured and required treatment. | |
| 'Utter disrespect' | 'Utter disrespect' |
| Ch Supt David Boyle said: "The carnival itself passed peacefully and safely, as it has done for several years, and it is completely unacceptable that some people have attempted to ruin that. | Ch Supt David Boyle said: "The carnival itself passed peacefully and safely, as it has done for several years, and it is completely unacceptable that some people have attempted to ruin that. |
| "It is disappointing... we have seen a small minority of people causing ugly scenes across the town centre." | "It is disappointing... we have seen a small minority of people causing ugly scenes across the town centre." |
| One man and five youths were arrested and were held in police custody. | |
| The carnival was celebrating its 40th anniversary and the organisers estimated there were 9-10,000 people attending, which is down on some previous years when up to 50,000 have attended. | |
| Thirty-seven groups took part in the parade which circled the park on public roads, but avoided the town centre. | |
| Johanne Hudson-Lett, spokeswoman for the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, which organised the event, said: "It's dampened all the hard work that people put into creating what was a wonderful day in the park. | |
| "We're very saddened by the behaviour of some of the carnival attendees." | |
| Hazel Simmons, Luton Council leader, said those responsible had "shown complete and utter disrespect to the town and its people". | Hazel Simmons, Luton Council leader, said those responsible had "shown complete and utter disrespect to the town and its people". |
| "We should all be sitting back and celebrating what was a fantastic spectacle with thousands of people coming out and enjoying a wonderful carnival event," she added. | "We should all be sitting back and celebrating what was a fantastic spectacle with thousands of people coming out and enjoying a wonderful carnival event," she added. |