"The handprints on Grenfell's stairwells are not just marks—they are the story of that night: fear, loss, grief, hope, and the fight for survival. Allah Akbar, (God is Great) written in soot, is a prayer for everyone there and for all of us left carrying this burden. To destroy these elements is to erase history, memory, and proof of what happened."
"Lawyers acting for her brother Karim Khalloufi and mother Zohra Rabbae wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Steve Reed OBE, this week. Mr Khalloufi said families had been forced to act to protect sections of the wall that hold the voices of that night, and to preserve the memories of lost loved ones."
Relatives of the 72 people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 are challenging the government's decision to deny preservation of handprints and writings found on stairwell walls between floors 12 and 14. Families discovered these markings during a final visit to the tower in July 2025, including distinct handprints and Arabic text reading 'Allah Akbar' (God is Great). The markings are believed to have been made by residents trapped during the blaze. After an immediate preservation request was denied, families are now seeking legal action, arguing that earlier government assurances to preserve parts of the tower for a memorial are being broken. They contend that destroying these elements erases history, memory, and evidence of what occurred.
#grenfell-tower-fire #memorial-preservation #victim-advocacy #government-accountability #historical-documentation
Read at www.standard.co.uk
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]