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Notting Hill carnival holds minute's silence for Grenfell Notting Hill carnival holds minute’s silence for Grenfell
(about 3 hours later)
Notting Hill carnival-goers have paused to observe a minute’s silence for those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire.Notting Hill carnival-goers have paused to observe a minute’s silence for those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire.
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.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 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.” 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.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.” After the minute’s silence people continued to dance and relax in the sunshine as sound systems played hip-hop, calypso, dub, reggae and more. Policing appeared to be permissive, with officers walking past carnival-goers smoking cannabis and inhaling balloons of nitrous oxide gas.
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. Matt Parr, HM Inspector of Constabulary, was observing the police operation on All Saints Road. Two sound systems were moved from the road this year to lessen the crowds.
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. “I expected the police, if I’m honest, to be less enthusiastic about it than they are,” Parr said. “They all recognise what it is that people are trying to do; they want to see people having a good time.”
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”. Parr said he had reviewed the defences put in place by the Met to guard against terror attacks, and judged them to be sufficient. He said police had met carnival organisers to plan their operations. “The effort, of course, is behind the scenes. I think they [the police] have actually got a pretty mature away of approaching it; they are not looking to cause trouble – they are aware that it’s sensitive,” Parr said.
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. “I’m a parent and I’m much more comfortable about my children being here having seen the way that the police deal with it.”
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. Lines of officers with riot gear to hand stood filtering the crowds milling down Westbourne Park Road. On All Saints Road officers stood at every junction. Some sound systems attracted more enforcement than others, with the house stage Disco Hustlers enjoying an apparently light touch.
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. David C, from Harrow, was sitting in Tavistock Gardens eating takeaway food. This year was much better than the last time he came, he said.
“I thought there was going to be much more security,” he said. “I’m from America so I’m used to seeing people walking around strapped. But it’s different, I was in two minds about coming” because of the Barcelona attack this month.
Local people said it had been a good carnival, blessed with good weather, but complained that it had lost its link to the community.
“We want residents to take part more,” said Nadia Boujjettef, who lives on the carnival’s east side. Her parents used to serve food and drink from their front garden, she said. Council rules now require expensive licences for vendors.
“And that’s so sad,” Boujjettef said. “I think that’s so unfair that the residents don’t have any part to play.”