THE GRENFELL GHOULS
Men behind sick bonfire stunt hand themselves in … as families say: We’re the ones in danger now
THE men arrested for burning a model of the Grenfell Tower block on a bonfire have complained about being ‘in danger’ of a revenge attack.
The partygoers were unmasked yesterday amid a wave of outrage over the stunt.
Father-and- son Bobbi Connell, 19, and Clifford Smith, 49, handed themselves in to police after hosting a bonfire at their home in South Norwood, London.
They were questioned alongside neighbour Paul Bussetti, who lives in a £500,000 house only one street away, where the phrase ‘party animals’ is emblazoned on the front of the prop- erty. During the incident, which was posted on social media, a group of men and women howl with laughter as the cardboard effigy goes up in flames. They are heard mockingly shouting: ‘Help me! Help me!’
In an apparent racist remark aimed at a depiction of a Muslim woman in a niqab, one onlooker says: ‘That little ninja’s getting it now.’
Members of the group also seem to mock the controversial ‘ stay- put’ advice of the fire service – said to have contributed to death toll of 72 – yelling: ‘We’re coming to get you.’
Relatives of the men yesterday claimed that the incident was simply a joke that got ‘out of hand’ after a drinking binge. A relative of Bussetti said: ‘We’re in so much danger now. They didn’t want it to go this far. They are not racist. It’s been blown out of proportion. It was horrible what they’ve done. Let them try to forget it’.
The woman, who described herself as a close family member, added: ‘I admit it’s stupid, so stupid. The comments that were made were just not nice. It’s so bad. They knew it was wrong, that’s why they came forward.’
She added: ‘We fear for our safety. They are going to be paying now, aren’t they?’
Another woman at the property, where Bussetti’s Range Rover sport featuring personalised number plates and a St George’s flag sat outside, said: ‘They’re hard working people. It was stupid and distasteful. There was no malice in it.’
However, neighbours described Bussetti, 46, as ‘aggressive’ and said he constantly started arguments over parking. They said large groups of women revellers visited the property in the evening, upsetting other residents.
A video of the replica tower being burned was taken at a Guy Fawkes party that the group holds every year, during which they have a model-making competition.
A patch of scorched grass could be seen at the back of Smith’s house, which was searched by police yesterday, alongside a fallen St George’s flag that featured in the video.
Describing Smith as ‘nationalistic’, one neighbour said: ‘When you get somebody like that moving in it is like a bad smell coming.’
His former father-in-law, grandfather to Connell, yesterday told of his dis-
‘There was no malice in it’
gust at recognising Smith in the video.
Retired property manager, David connell, said: ‘It’s an appalling thing to do, given the tragic loss of life. It’s in dreadfully bad taste and utterly shocking and I don’t condone it at all. I don’t know what they were thinking.’
He described Bobbi, whose mother Louise has separated from Smith, as ‘not a bad lad’.
The teenager claims to work as a store manager for designer Ralph Lauren – but a spokesman for Ralph Lauren said connell has never been employed by them. Mr connell added: ‘I’ll be getting in touch with my grandson.
‘I hope they haven’t committed a crime by doing this. It’s just in very bad taste.’
Mark Russell, 49, who lives in Gipsy Hill, South London, with his wife of 27 years Debbie, was also named as one of those in the film.
Scotland Yard said the group who handed themselves in included a 19-year-old, a 46-yearold and a 49-year- old, all from South norwood, a 49-year- old from Lambeth and a 55-year-old from Beckenham, South London.
They were last night being held at a station in nearby croydon under section 4a of the Public Order Act. Another 19-year- old man was arrested last night.
The Prime Minister led condemnation of the fire, saying: ‘ To disrespect those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower, as well as their families and loved ones, is utterly unacceptable.’
The chairman of the public inquiry into the fire, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, said yesterday: ‘ It must be shocking and distressing to all those involved.
‘I am very pleased to hear that the authorities are taking the matter very seriously.’