Five men
have been arrested over a video showing a laughing group of people burning a
model of the Grenfell Tower, British police said Tuesday.
The London
residential block went up in flames in June last year, claiming 71 lives. It
was Britain’s worst residential fire since World War II.
The video
clip, posted online, showed a large effigy marked “Grenfell Tower”, complete
with paper figures at the windows, being set ablaze on a bonfire. Raucous
laughter can be heard.
“Five men
have been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence in connection with an
investigation into a video posted online that showed an effigy of Grenfell
Tower being burnt,” Scotland Yard police headquarters said in a statement.
The men,
aged 19, 46, 49, 49, and 55, were arrested after handing themselves in at a south
London police station late Monday.
“They have
been taken into custody,” police said.
In the
video, onlookers can be heard saying: “Help me! Help me!”, “Jump out the
window!” and “That’s what happens when they don’t pay their rent.”
The Grenfell
United organisation for survivors and the bereaved, tweeted: “It’s a disgusting
video.
“Not only is
it extremely upsetting to survivors and people who lost family, it’s hateful
and offensive to everyone that has been affected.”
Prime
Minister Theresa May tweeted: “To disrespect those who lost their lives at
Grenfell Tower, as well as their families and loved ones, is utterly
unacceptable.”
Police
Commander Stuart Cundy, who is leading the investigation into the Grenfell
disaster, said he was “frankly appalled by the callous nature” of the video.
Bonfires are
traditional in Britain around November 5, recalling a foiled plot to blow up
parliament in 1605. Effigies of plotter Guy Fawkes are burned on the fire.
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