Notting Hill Carnival pauses to remember Grenfell Tower fire victims
Written by News on 29/08/2017
Revellers at Notting Hill Carnival have paused to observe a minute’s silence for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Music stopped playing and the procession paused for 60 seconds as revellers held a commemoration for the at least 80 people who died in the devastating blaze.
Around half-a-mile away from the tower, firefighters lined up, removed their helmets and bowed their heads outside North Kensington fire station.
Following the minute’s silence, the firefighters were embraced and thanked by carnival-goers, many of whom posed for photos with them.
Emma Dent Coad, MP for Kensington, wiped away tears after the moment of reflection.
She said: "It’s a really, really lovely atmosphere, there’s gorgeous weather, there’s a lot of good feeling out there."
The MP added she would be keeping the Grenfell disaster "very high on the agenda".
"I won’t rest until every single family is properly housed, and despite my efforts over the last 10 weeks I’ve got nowhere at all and I find that very, very, very difficult," she said.
"I did imagine as an MP I’d be able to help people get things done, but it’s been very hard."
The birds were released from the hands of survivors and local residents, as well as leader of Kensington and Chelsea council Elizabeth Campbell, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Ms Dent Coad.
A number of festival-goers wore green in a show of "reverence and respect" to victims, while others held aloft signs and banners in tribute.
Clarrie Mendy, a relative of victims Khadija Saye and Mary Mendy, said she felt the event had been a healing experience for those grieving.
She said: "A lot of people are finding their voice and saying this is the first time since it happened they’ve actually found a voice to speak.
"I think they know they’re not alone. They see other people suffering the same plight, they know there’s a collective."
(c) Sky News 2017: Notting Hill Carnival pauses to remember Grenfell Tower fire victims
