Six arrests for knife position over the long Bermuda Day weekend, along with two incidents of shots being fired, were highlighted by police as cause for concern.

Antoine Daniels, the Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, said 27 people were arrested over the holiday weekend for a range of offences, but the high number of bladed article cases was called “alarming” and a “serious growing concern”.

It included a 49-year-old male found with a folding knife on Parsons Road at 1am on Saturday.

“Clearly, the carrying of these weapons is not limited to any one age group,” he said.

“Let me be clear. There is a belief that carrying a knife provides protection. It does not. In reality, it increases the risk. You may seriously harm someone, you may be harmed yourself or you may create a situation that leads to ongoing conflict and retaliation.

“Simply put, carrying a weapon makes everyone less safe.”

Figures released by the BPS after the press conference stated that there had been 35 arrests for bladed weapons so far this year and eight people injured by bladed weapons.

A total of 107 people were arrested for bladed weapons over the course of 2025, compared with 75 in 2024 and 58 in 2023.

However, Mr Daniels dispelled rumours about a stabbing on Front Street during the Bermuda Day Parade, saying the details were not accurate.

He said: “There was a disturbance, yes, but no major injuries and one individual was treated and released.

“We do, however, thank members of the public who assisted police in identifying individuals in a separate knife incident. That support led to the arrest of two suspects, and we appreciate the co-operation.”

Mr Daniels said the first of the two shooting incidents took place on Berkeley Road, Pembroke on Thursday, with the second being recorded last night near the Southampton Rangers Sports Club.

In the second incident, he said two men on a motorcycle “discharged multiple shots” before leaving the area.

He added: “In both cases, which is very concerning, there were multiple shell casings recovered.

“Investigations are ongoing. To date, no arrests have been made in those two particular incidents.”

While he said it was too early to say if the two incidents were connected, he said ballistic testing had shown the firearm discharged on Berkeley Road had been used in other incidents.

Asked how many firearms are known to have been used in the various incidents in recent years, Mr Daniels said a review conducted last year found that “close to 60 or 70” firearms had been used over the past 20 years, but more than half of those have been seized.

He said: “Although they have been used, they may not have been used to harm someone or the like. It’s just that we found characteristics that demonstrates there are that number of firearms are on the island or have been on the island.”

Mr Daniels said police were always concerned about firearm offences and steps have been taken to tweak front line policing approaches as the situation changes.

He also highlighted “the widespread use of cannabis in public spaces — particularly during the Bermuda Day celebrations”.

Mr Daniels called it “inconsiderate” and reminded the community that while possession of small amounts of cannabis has been decriminalised, the drug remains illegal.

He added: “It doesn’t say anywhere in the Misuse of Drugs Act that you can use cannabis, so people have to be mindful.

“I know in the wider world it is becoming more relaxed. I just think that people need to exercise some respect for persons around them and really act accordingly.”

He also noted that police made a “rather large arrest” at the airport this weekend for possession of cannabis.

Mr Daniels said there were also seven arrests for impaired driving, including six men and one woman, and 23 collisions on the roads, ten of which involved injuries.

He added that a rider injured in a collision involving a car and a motorcycle in the early hours of Sunday had been treated and released from hospital.

Mr Daniels said that enforcement alone cannot fully address the issue of impaired driving, stating that greater education and awareness were needed.

So far this year, 80 people have been arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, while 223 were arrested for the offence over the entirety of 2025.

Mr Daniels said the number of offences appeared to be “consistent” with past holiday weekends, but the number of knife offences was an area of concern.

He said: “Generally over the weekend you get a bit of heat, mixed with alcohol, maybe other substances, and it's a long day so people tend to become rather heated.

“It was pretty constant with other years except this year it was quite alarming the amount of bladed articles found on persons. Six is really high.”