May tries to quell public anger, meets fire victims

London, June 17: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday met with victims of the Grenfell Tower fire at 10 Downing Street a day after protesters criticised her for visiting and leaving the scene on Thursday without talking to any of those who had lost their homes in the blaze.

Ms May was met with cries of “Shame on you” and “coward” when she returned on Friday. Police officers held back booing crowds and broke up scuffles as her vehicle drove off from a local church, where she had met survivors, residents and volunteers. In an interview on Friday, she sidestepped questions on whether she had misread the public mood.

According to police, 58 people are missing and presumed dead in the fire, though they say this number could change. At the moment, police said 16 bodies have been recovered. Public anger is mounting as residents and neighbors demand answers for how the blaze on early Wednesday spread so quickly and trapped so many. —— Agencies