Dad & son held over sick Grenfell stunt
Suspected scene of bonfire A FATHER and son were arrested after sparking an outcry by burning a bonfire effigy of Grenfell Tower.
Bobbi Connell, 19, and dad Cliff Smith, 49, handed themselves in at Scotland Yard on Monday night, along with three other men, and were held on suspicion of a public order offence. A man of 19 was also arrested last night.
A relative of one person being probed said they fear for their lives, sobbing: “We’re in so much danger now.”
In footage of the sickening stunt, a crowd laughs as the model – with paper figures at windows – goes up in flames.
People shout “help me” and pose for selfies, and one man says: “That’s what happens when you don’t pay your rent.”
Police searched the home of Smith and Connell yesterday. Aerial shots of its garden showed signs of a fire – and a St George’s flag seen in the video on the grass.
The six men were quizzed at Croydon Custody Centre yesterday. Connell’s grandad David confirmed it was his grandson, by daughter Louise, in the video.
He said: “I’ll be getting in touch with my grandson. It’s just in very bad taste.”
Neighbours said Connell, a Crystal Palace fan who works for Ralph Lauren, and his dad hosted a party on Saturday.
One said: “They’ve always seemed a bit nationalistic. Who flies a flag of St George in their garden all year round?”
Another man in custody is Paul Bussetti, 46, who lives just streets away.
A woman at the family home said: “They are not racist. It’s been blown out of proportion. Let them try to forget it.”
And Mark Russell, 49, was also believed to be at the warped bonfire.
The June 2017 Grenfell blaze in West London killed 72. Met Commander Stuart Cundy said: “To mock that disaster in such a crude way is vile.”
And Khadijah Mamudu, whose mum and brother fled the fire, said: “When one is ignorant of the world they do stupid, vile things. We can’t change the way they think but they need to understand they are the minority.” Sign at the Bussetti’s house