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More Grenfell tributes on second day of Notting Hill ​carnival Notting Hill carnival holds minute's silence for Grenfell
(about 4 hours later)
Celebrations will pass alongside a series of poignant tributes to the people killed in the Grenfell Tower fire on the second day of Notting Hill carnival. Notting Hill carnival-goers have paused to observe a minute’s silence for those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of west London for the annual August bank holiday party, which traditionally celebrates the capital’s Caribbean communities. At 3pm on Monday, the music stopped playing and the procession paused for 60 seconds to remember those who died in the fire in June. Outside North Kensington fire station, about half a mile away from the charred high-rise, firefighters lined up, removed their helmets and bowed their heads.
The moment was concluded with a round of applause and cheers from the hundreds of thousands of people celebrating the bank holiday weekend. The firefighters were then embraced, congratulated and thanked by carnival-goers, posing for photos with them.
The local Labour MP Emma Dent Coad, who observed the moment of reflection outside the fire station,said of the carnival: “It’s a really, really lovely atmosphere: there’s gorgeous weather, there’s a lot of good feeling out there, a lot of people wearing green, and I think it should continue in that vein.”
Dent Coad, who was elected MP for Kensington in the June general election, said she would be keeping Grenfell “very high on the agenda” when parliament returns next Monday. “I won’t rest until every single family is properly housed, and despite my efforts over the last 10 weeks I’ve got nowhere at all and I find that very, very, very difficult,” she said.
She added: “I did imagine as an MP I’d be able to help people get things done, but it’s been very hard.”
Asked what she felt was the main reason behind the delay, she said “incompetence”. She said she had spoken to two families who had been offered “completely unsuitable” accommodation.
One was a wheelchair user offered an upstairs flat with no lift, and another, who walks with crutches, was offered a place where the nearest shop was 20 minutes away, she said.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, pledged to redouble efforts to support the community and “make sure those responsible are held to account” to ensure such a disaster “never, ever happens again”.
Events on Sunday, the more family-friendly of the two-day parade, featured a series of commemorations to those who died in the blaze on 14 June, in which at least 80 people lost their lives.Events on Sunday, the more family-friendly of the two-day parade, featured a series of commemorations to those who died in the blaze on 14 June, in which at least 80 people lost their lives.
A zone of quiet reflection around the Lancaster West estate, where the blackened shell of the tower stands, will remain fenced off from the main carnival procession out of respect for local residents and mourners.A zone of quiet reflection around the Lancaster West estate, where the blackened shell of the tower stands, will remain fenced off from the main carnival procession out of respect for local residents and mourners.
The release of dozens of white doves marked the start of the festivities, followed by a minute’s silence at 3pm, when the otherwise joyous attendees bowed their heads in honour of those who died and the people who tried to save them.
Crews at North Kensington fire station, at the heart of the parade route in Ladbroke Grove, joined the tribute, in which crowds erupted into applause and queued to thank them for their bravery.
A second minute’s silence is due to to take place at 3pm on Monday, followed by a rendition of the Grenfell charity single Bridge Over Troubled Water.
A heavy police presence marked the tree-lined streets leading to the main parade route, where there were steel barriers, concrete blocks and weapons checks, which police said were in place to guard against the threat of a Barcelona-style terrorist attack and potential acid attacks.
Speaking at the official opening of the carnival on Sunday, the Kensington MP, Emma Dent Coad, addressed the “Grenfell generation”, telling them: “Today is a day to set aside our burden of sadness.”
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, also pledged to redouble efforts to support the community and “make sure those responsible are held to account” to ensure such a disaster “never, ever happens again”.
Scotland Yard said there had been 106 arrests during the first day of carnival as of 10pm on Sunday. The numbers are roughly the same as last year, when 105 people were arrested on the opening day, overwhelmingly for drugs offences.Scotland Yard said there had been 106 arrests during the first day of carnival as of 10pm on Sunday. The numbers are roughly the same as last year, when 105 people were arrested on the opening day, overwhelmingly for drugs offences.
More than one-third of those arrested this year were said to be for drugs offences, while there were eight arrests for possession of an offensive weapon or knife, nine public order arrests, and 10 common assault arrests.
Nine arrests were made for sexual offences, and six for assault of police officers.
The Metropolitan police had embarked on a three-week crackdown on crime, during which more than 600 people arrested and a large number of knives, guns, weapons, drugs and money seized, culminating in a series of dawn raids.
Scotland Yard was criticised for linking the raids with the carnival and was unable to confirm it had received prior intelligence that the individuals targeted were planning on disrupting the festivities.