Today is the first day of the Notting Hill Carnival. This will be my eleventh Carnival here, and it is the very first time that I did not receive any literature with regard to the Carnival except for the local security information which was published here with comments. This information has included an information booklet and maps of the Carnival area. All telephone numbers were included for contacting such organisations as the police and the local noise nuisance service.
I was shocked not to receive this important information, and I wonder whether tenant management is trying to be all things to all people with its paltry security guards and call out service from the Caretakers office where Keith Miles will handle all security coordination personally. Two of the four security guards slated for the Lancaster West Estate will be acting as parking attendants at Grenfell Road to protect the parking for the few. As will be noted today and tomorrow, there are serious problems which occur during Carnival that require the response of the public emergency services. It is quite important to have complete information about all the organisations and services provided for Carnival.
Ten years ago I witness a rape and attempted murder from my kitchen window on Monday night of the Carnival. One of the tube stations had been closed for whatever reason, and people were streaming down Whitchurch Road to Bramley Road to go to the nearby Lattimer Road Tube station. At the same time one of the sound trucks was blasting away from in front of Heart FM radio station located just across the street on the other side of Bramley. The traffic was jammed for a couple hours with horns blasting. This prevented a police response to the location of the rape and attempted murder I was winessing. They were stalled down the road which I could see as these events unfolded. I had called the police when the violence first started. If they had been able to get to the scene normally, these crimes would have never occurred.
I will be noting the activity which impacts this area during the day. Already it has started with thumping loud music from nearby sounding like it was coming from Bramley Road as early as 0930 this morning. This continued at 1000, and then it really became loud for a bit at about 1030. I have a sound level meter on the kitchen counter next to the kitchen window. That sound at about 1030 reach 67 dB. These levels are photographed so that there is a permanent record of this noise nuisance. This was only a taste of what is to come as these floats and sound trucks head to the parade route.
The rape and attempted murder which I witnessed ten years ago included the fact that the Carnival activity took place a considerable distance from the main parade route where these participants are headed and then return on St Anns and Bramley Roads outside. However, when it comes to crime statistics, this was not included in Carnival associated crime although it was clearly part of and as a direct result of the Carnival.
Heart FM is an attractive nuisance for these sound trucks and floats which slow down and perform outside the radio station across the road. If this had been stopped ten years ago because it is not on the parade route proper, the crimes I witnessed might not have occurred or the police could have arrived at an assault before it became far more serious. If the police want to exclude this area from any crime statistics relating to the Carnival, then those participating floats and sound trucks should move silently through this area and not start until they are on the parade route itself.
Ten years ago this started very early about 0930 on a Sunday morning like today. One particular sound truck kept coming by every so often to play its booming music outside Heart FM. This was the sound truck which was here for a couple hours later Monday night that year blocking traffic and creating a thundering amount of noise that contributed to the crime which I witnessed. While this problem has been addressed since that time, this is still a de facto parade route no matter what anyone might want to call it. They don't live here and have to live with this noise nuisance. Either turn off this sound or make this part of the parade route.
During the past ten years at least three murders have occurred connected with the Carnival. There was a man found dead on Kensington Park Road the morning after the Carnival. He had apparently been the victim of a mugging or so it appeared There was the sensational murder of two on one Carnival Monday in 2000. One of the witness appeal signs was at Cornwall Crescent and Kensington Park Road. A couple months later there was another witness appeal sign at the other end of Cornwall Crescent at Claredon Road which is on the edge of the other side of the Lancaster West Estate. The appeal was for anyone who had seen the shooting of a woman.
This is a violent area at any time, but that violence increases during the two days of Carnival. I find it appalling that two of the four security guards should be used as parking attendants on the two days of Carnival. I still cannot believe that I did not receive the standard Carnival information package this year. I wonder why?
For a couple years running one of these floats turned off onto Whitchurch Road from Bramley Road (usually they go straight down St Anns Road) in the evening to progress down this very narrow street blocking all other traffic while it negotiated its way through the turns and bends. It was a double long float like the number 207 bus now in use from Shepherd's Bush Green out Uxbridge Road to the west. It had its own loud music and was open like a trolley with a large group following behind it.
This blocked the road for any emergency vehicle access and did so two years in a row. They obviously were not concerned about what they were doing I photographed this each year and sent it along as an example of more abuse of the Carnival which occurred far outside the designated Carnival area, but where any crimes that are committed are not considered as part of the Carnival.
Very fortunately this morning's worst activity goes on for only about two to three hours as these floats and sound trucks move to the Carnival parade route. After a few hours of silence, they all come back by in the evening returning with the same noise level as they made earlier. This goes on for these two days and is the loudest and longest on Monday. Think about the people who live in the middle of this who have to endure it or leave for the weekend. It is far worse there. With upwards of a couple million people expected over these two days this has gotten far too big for the narrow streets of Notting Hill. It should be moved to an open space like Hyde Park as proposed (see yesterday's web journal entry).
1. Sun Aug 27 11:26:46 BST 2006: thumping music and voice singing are moving close now with a dB level of about 62 in my kitchen next to its window.
2. Sun Aug 27 11:41:36 BST 2006: Here comes a float/sound truck with 65 dB and an amplified DJ voice as it pauses outside for his announcement between exceedingly loud music. When it starts again, the sound level hits 68 dB with consistent levels in the mid-60s dB level.
3. Sun Aug 27 11:56:10 BST 2006: Sun Aug 27 11:57:12 BST 2006 The voice of a hit as high as 78 dB with the noise level up in the 70 dB level with his voice and music. Then its right at about 70 dB as the music comes thundering by outside on the road.
It is impossible to do anything else with that level of sound noise nuisance going on as it does. All of this is being recorded, measured and photographed. My flat vibrates when the sound level is consistently over 70 dB as it is now: Sun Aug 27 12:01:58 BST 2006. And, a car alarm goes off. Its sound is tame by comparison. It sounds like it was set off by the noise nuisance since it is stopping and starting.
Sun Aug 27 12:18:19 BST 2006: the sound level measurement has been consistently in the 60 dB range since the peaks noted above. That's a solid disturbance precluding any other activity. For all practical purposes these two days are ruined and cause considerable harm from the noise nuisance.
Sun Aug 27 12:36:04 BST 2006: it's now silent. How long will it last?
I think it is a terrible thing to not provide everyone with the Carnival information so everyone knows what the hours are, parade routes and all other essential information. It appears as if this was an early day for the parade with the music starting as early as 0900 followed by the substance for about two hours between 1030 and 1230. Time will tell as the day progresses.
I was subjected to continual verbal abuse by the vigilante mobsters using the surveillance technology throughout the morning while I was collecting evidence about this excessive noise nuisance against the background of the violent crimes described above along with the disregard for the public's safety which has occurred in the past by those participating in thee Carnival. I've been addressing these issues during these past ten years while those who carried out the criminal activity which I reported have been using surveillance technology as a weapon to try to destroy my documenting and reporting these problems and their crimes.
Sun Aug 27 13:34:19 BST 2006: steel band music starts coming from outside. Documenting once again while preparing lunch. Set up again took a few minutes before making this entry. There goes the Turkish Grand Prix enjoyment.
Emergency vehicle sirens were sounding on the road outside during this activity. It sounded like two different vehicles at that same time. This reveals the need to keep these roads clear not that there was an obstruction at this time. I could not see anything and only heard the sirens amid the rest of the music, etc. Sirens alone usually hit the 70 dB level.
Sun Aug 27 13:48:52 BST 2006: steel band music and all associated sounds are now fading from this one. This sound got up into the 60 dB level with 65 dB as I noted. I'll have to review it for its full activity. I was busy preparing food for most of the time. Back into the chair with lunch at this time.
Those running the Carnival make representations that it will be shut down on time at night and many more marshals will be employed, but this only concerns the main parade area. It does not apply out here on the access to the main parade area. Here is an apparent straggler(s) who took about 20 minutes to go by. There are no marshals out here, and one wonders just how late it will be tonight when these floats and sound trucks return.
Sun Aug 27 16:14:54 BST 2006: the UK is right at the top of the league tables for torture in the world with a record eight years 24/7 torture carried out using surveillance technology against one person by a mob of vigilantens cutting across government departments. I made this response to a male who used the word "courtesy" followed by a comment from BS "I know" who is now saying "Potty" and other nonstop verbal abuse noises. That's courtesy on a grand scale. Respect too. No other country in this world has carried out eight years of 24/7 torture without a moment's relief from a large group of people who are all well known and have been present the entire time.
"Earthquake," says SR aka the Rocketman.
After a relatively peaceful period of mere abuse coming from the surveillance vigilante mobsters, the thumping Carnival sounds return just after 1700.
Sun Aug 27 17:13:45 BST 2006: sound trucks and floats start returning with blasting away up to 80 dB. The DJ provides a commercial at 75 dB outside Heart FM across the street giving full details about their activity. My flat is vibrating from the extraordinarily loud thumping sound.
Sun Aug 27 17:19:40 BST 2006: a second DJ comes along with 75 dB voice causing my windows to vibrate from the intensity of the sound. This one continues outside as if standing still. Is he different or the same one as a little earlier?
Sun Aug 27 17:26:23 BST 2006: I just returned from taking a trip throughout the flat. The whole building is shuttering to the blasting sound from this one. It sounds like it's right inside the building and causes the wall on the opposite side of the street where it is located (inside of the building) to vibrate.
Sun Aug 27 17:35:54 BST 2006: low vibration in the floor starts from the distance. These sound trucks can be "felt" since their vibrations travel through the ground and into the walls, floors and ceilings of buildings from some distance away.
Sun Aug 27 18:41:13 BST 2006: low level thumping music in low 50s dB has stopped. This has gone on for about an hour after the very loud sound trucks/floats went by as noted above. I spoke too soon. It resumes.
Sun Aug 27 19:06:01 BST 2006: the next batch of ultra loud sound comes through from the parade area two hours after the first twenty minute blasting occurred. This has been going on since 0900 in one form or another with a three hour relative calm period from 1400 to 1700, but that was the most. The vibration from this excessive loud sound is vibrating my front window.
The vigilante mobsters have been attacking throughout the day as usual using this excessive noise nuisance and my objective measurement and evidence collection to whatever advantage they could fake. This sound is well up into the 60 dB range.
At 1930 I was going to try to enjoy the BBC Proms from the Royal Albert Hall broadcast on BBC Four featuring Mozart's Requiem, but it does not look promising.
A female yelled today "He's interfering in my freedom." One person's freedom stops when it infringe the rights of others.
Sun Aug 27 19:27:31 BST 2006: the extremely loud thumping music from the road has stopped for the time being, but those below have turned up their thumping music full blast vibrating my floor and coming in excessively loudly thoughout my flat. There's surveillance for you. Protecting the antisocial behaviour while attacking me all day and night as usual. This is just another example.
People feel that they are entitled to be as disruptive and disturbing as they want in light of the very excessive sound truck and float thumping sounds which just went by. These, however, only on their way to and from the Carnival route which is a significant distance away and out of hearing for even this excessively loud noise nuisance. This is another reason that this should not be permitted to cause a noise nuisance outside the Carnival parade area because it incite others to do the same inside their homes as is occurring while I try to listen to Mozart's Meistermusik.
Naturally, the surveillance vigilante mobsters are doing nothing about it and continue to carry on with their verbal abuse moan, groan protest performance yelling things like "Why?" When the surveillance technology is used exclusively against the person who reports the problems, this gives the antisocial and criminal types the feeling that they can do as they please because they are being protected by the use of the surveillance technology which will not be used against them.
This also points out the uselessness of the security guards who are dedicated to being parking attendants. If the surveillance vigilante mobsters do not do anything when they know all that is happening and who is doing it, it's useless to expect the so-called security guards to act in this situation especially if they are being influenced by the surveillance vigilante mobsters.
BBC News Sunday, 27 August 2006, 17:28 GMT 18:28 UK
Notting Hill Carnival under way
 Sundays is children's day at the Notting Hill Carnival |
Thousands of people have filled the streets of west London as the first day of the capital's Notting Hill Carnival got into full swing.
More than a million people are expected to visit the event throughout the bank holiday weekend.
Police made seven arrests on the first day of the carnival, which centres on Ladbroke Grove.
They included three arrests for drugs offences, one for drunkenness and one for an immigration offence.
Sunday is Children's Day for families, while Monday is traditionally busier.
Organisers said at least 500,000 people were on the streets on Sunday.
A national steel band competition was held on Saturday evening in Kensal Green to warm up the area for carnival.
While Sunday's event tends to be quieter, with play areas for children, the big crowds flock to Monday's event, to dance to sound systems, watch the costumed Mas bands, steel bands and floats and enjoy the barbecues.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5274034.stm
Mon Aug 28 00:21:15 BST 2006: 97 arrested at Notting Hill Carnival from latest report from BBC News24 with 300,000 reported by sponsors as being present Sunday.