Five quizzed by police over ‘vile’ Grenfell bonfire video
Police investigating an “offensive” video showing a model of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire have begun searching an address.
Three officers from the Metropolitan Police carried evidence bags into the terrace property in South Norwood, south London, yesterday afternoon.
Aerial images of the property appeared to show charred patches of grass along with an England flag lying across the rear of the garden.
A similar flag was visible behind the Grenfell model in the video.
The property is registered to 49-year-old Clifford Smith, according to public records.
Scotland Yard said it was questioning five men from south and south-east London who handed themselves in on Monday night.
They are a 19-year-old, a 46year-old and a 49-year-old, all from South Norwood, a 49year-old from Lambeth and a 55-year-old from Beckenham.
They were arrested on suspicion of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress under section 4a of the Public Order Act.
After leaving the house, officers searched bins under the front window and knocked on neighbours’ doors.
The footage, which emerged on Monday, shows a large flammable model marked “Grenfell Tower”, complete with paper figures at the windows, being set on fire.
In the video clip posted online, raucous laughter can be heard off camera as the model is set alight.
It is understood that all five men were being questioned at Croydon Custody Centre.
The chairman of the public inquiry into the fire, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, called the video “offensive” as he opened Tuesday’s hearing.
He said: “The inquiry is aware of the offensive video that was posted online yesterday. It must be shocking and distressing to all those involved.”
Khadijah Mamudu, whose mother and younger brother escaped the fire, told the Press Association: “Their actions upset so many people around the world and they need to think long and hard.
“When one is ignorant of the world and people that are around them they do the most stupid and vile things.”