Grenfell Tower fire- thread three

[RhythmAndStealth]

Seventeen tragic deaths confirmed so far, six victims provisionally identified.
Number of those who perished feared to rise into triple figures as search proceeds
Search for remaining victims expected to take weeks, sadly it’s considered unlikely that it will be possible to identify all the victims
Names of those still missing start to emerge
Nearly 80 victims being treated across six hospitals, with 15 still in critical care
Hundreds of people displaced and dispossessed, concerned about when and where they will be rehoused

Public inquiry ordered.
Criminal investigation launched.
Serious questions being asked about fire safety regulations, management of social housing, austerity and inequality.
Fire Brigade search of building expected to take weeks due to complexity of building, extent of fire damage and the necessity of undertaking a painstaking fingertip search.

“There must be arrests after this monstrous crime” David Lammy MP

‘Families rehoused last night been left clueless about where to spend next nights. No word from #kccouncil. Chaos.” Emily Maitlis, BBC

“We have to act as if it was our friends, our family in that block” Nick Hurd MP, Policing and Fire Minister

“Someone needs to be held accountable. These deaths could have been prevented.” Local resident to Sadiq Khan

Thread 2
Thread 1

Yes Theresa May would have been heckled. But I agree it is her job to go there. The woman seems pretty cowardly

protests are easily highjacked

This is not a good reason to stop protesting, nor to try to persuade others against protesting.

Deal with rioters severely, absolutely. But trying to stop people protesting could be seen by some as just another way of silencing them. These residents followed the rules and procedures and were ignored. Protesting is the next logical step, and well within the law.

Brasty I said that to my husband; his reply was "the Queen doesn't start wars"... However, surely Prince William would be the biggest target?

I think it is very well known that everything has a tipping point Sew

"Protesting is the next logical step"

Take it you don't live in Kensington then if you think that? Kensington has had enough protests over the last few years thank you very much. It's frightening and it's scary; it does not solve anything and it creates more division and more anger within the community.

Jane on Sky News just now dropping some truth bombs.

monkey, they have tried for years to follow the system and they were ignored. What do you think they should they do? Shut up and put up?

My understanding is the sprinklers help slow down the fire and suppress the smoke making it easier for people to get out.

Smoke from fire is deadly. The people who perished will have died from smoke inhalation first.

I absolutely agree Emily people must be allowed to protest. They much be given much more of a voice and listened to much more.

I thought the BBC reporter outside KC Town Hall this afternoon understood that very well- give people a voice, listen to their concerns, allow what they say to be heard. He asked them questions that were designed to help other understand their point, not shut them down.

want, sprinklers do slow the spread of fire. There is a reason they now form part of building regulations for buildings this size.

There are plenty of options between riot (or protest at night that's likely to turn into a riot) and "shut up and put up".

More than happy to support people to protest peacefully, but not when it's likely to turn into a riot. It should be well organised, and safe, for people to have that voices heard properly so that the outcome of that protest is that voices are heard and NOT a media shit storm over injuries to people, emergency services and damage to businesses. Those things will totally drown out the voices of the people that need to be listened too.

BTW, Emily are you a K&C resident?

BBC reporters on the scene very much emphasising that the protests are peaceful.

I don't think people want to acknowledge the horror of the situation. There is a sense of nothing to see, move along, let's wait for a nice sanitised inquiry in a chamber full of suits and jargon. In a couple of years preferably.

I'm in Manchester and there were wall to wall images of the victims of the bombing, usually with the children in the centre, as it should be. Beautiful Isaac seems to be being mentioned in passing, as are the other children. I don't understand, is it racism? Is it downplaying the children who have died because they don't want people to get angry? I can't think of a tragedy involving children where they have been so notable in their absence.

I would never encourage people to riot - however if the people from the tower and those with loved ones do - i totally understand.

You say there are peaceful mediums between riot and put up and shut up - I would argue those avenues were tried in all the long and torturous years the residents group desperately tried to fight for their lives by constant begging for fire safety, Now life is lost...

However I utterly condemn the likes of left wing anarchists jumping on this and piggy backing on others grief and anger for their own narrow aims.

Honestly it would kill my spirit to lose my children to a totally preventable fire. I don't care what would be best, I would be so angry. Seriously some of those people have had children and relatives who died in that fire. Can you not imagine how that must feel?

Today's protest started at 3 in the afternoon according to news reports, so clearly nobody planned a night time protest. It hasn't turn violent, there has been no riot. People have demanded answers, that is all.

And no, I don't live in Kensington, though I know the area. But I'm ashamed that these voices haven't been listened to locally or nationally and I am ashamed that I wasn't fully aware of the plight of HA residents. I won't let that shame prevent me from standing up for their right to peaceful protest.

"But I'm ashamed that these voices haven't been listened to locally or nationally and I am ashamed that I wasn't fully aware of the plight of HA residents."

I feel the same. Although I did know the plight of private-landlord residents and do feel guilty I haven't been more vocal about that.

I do not want to see violence stem from a tragedy. There are calls for riots going out over social media; it frightens me that this will lead to more injuries, more deaths, more damage.

Racism is definitely part of the reporting I'm afraid. That and social snobbery.

The beautiful smiling white child blown up by an evil muslim sells more papers than a black child killed in a tower block due to austerity.

There is a hierarchy of horror and sympathy.

The blaming of victims is telling. It is like Hillsborough in that respect.

Monkey, the protest in central London started at 6pm. Just so you know most of the people marching were at work all day so not choosing this time to start a riot as you implied. The people took to the streets to be a voice against the establishment to say we are sick of it and want justice.

This beautiful 5 year old boy. Why is he not all over the news?????

Yes, it is like Hillsborough. Including the Sun printing rubbish in an attempt to shift blame onto the survivors.

I do think there is a big shift in how for example the BBC are reporting this. They are very much linking the fire to long term factors like -inequality, people's voices being silenced.

MrsGlow Please tell me where I have implied people were chosing so this time to start a riot as you implied*?

I think the people need a coordinated response

The council and government need to step in with some emergency help for the residents, pronto, or there will be rioting - and who's to blame them if they've lost everything and andn still being shat on and ignored.

Having a stake in society keeps people law abiding. Pushing people till they have nothing left to lose is not a good thing for public order.

The government know this - where the fuck are they?