Nine years after the Grenfell Tower fire, survivors, bereaved families and local residents came together to remember the 72 people killed in the heartbreaking inferno. Tearful demonstrators embraced heroic firefighters during a silent march in west London on Sunday evening, marking the ninth anniversary of the tragedy.
Final Anniversary Before Demolition
The gathering is the last anniversary before the tower block is completely demolished. Around 1,500 people, many dressed in green, walked together in silence to remember the victims as the wait for justice continues. A sea of signs reading "this much evidence, still no charges" and "enough is enough", along with green hearts and balloons, could be seen as the demonstrators processed.
As the emotional march reached Ladbroke Grove, personnel from London Fire Brigade lined the road. People, some with tears in their eyes, hugged and shook hands with the firefighters.
Demand for Justice
Grenfell United, which represents many of the bereaved and survivors, said the walk was "in solidarity to remember those we lost, and demand justice", noting that it is "the last anniversary with any part of Grenfell Tower remaining". The group stated: "In the aftermath of Grenfell, governments stood before the country and promised that lessons would be learned, accountability would follow and no community would ever again experience such a preventable tragedy. Yet nine years on, too many promises remain unfulfilled."
"Governments have changed, ministers have come and gone but the urgency and meaningful action survivors and bereaved families were promised have too often failed to materialise. Most painful of all is the continued delay to criminal justice. Nine years is an unbearable amount of time for bereaved families, survivors and residents to wait for accountability."
"Justice delayed is justice denied, and the slow pace of progress continues to deepen the pain of a community still waiting for answers and action."
Potential Charges
Police and prosecutors announced last month that up to 20 companies and 57 individuals could face criminal charges over the blaze. Decisions on whether any charges will be brought are expected before next year's 10th anniversary, the Metropolitan Police said.
Memorial Service
During a memorial service at Notting Hill Methodist Church earlier on Sunday, messages from the mother of Italian architect Gloria Trevisan and the father of her boyfriend Marco Gottardi were read. Ms Trevisan, 26, and Mr Gottardi, 27, were trapped on the top floor of the high-rise. Her mother Emanuela Disaro wrote: "We will never be able to forgive those who through greed, dishonesty and personal interest allowed themselves to be corrupted" at the expense of their lives and the 70 others.
She added: "It's too long to get justice and when it happens, if it happens, it will always be too late. It hurts us to know that those people continue to live their lives undisturbed and unpunished." Mr Gottardi's father said: "We would have liked a different story, you returned home having fulfilled your dreams, your love, your family and your work. All of this was denied you by human greed. The constant pursuit of greater profit, putting the lives of so many people at risk." He called for prosecutors to "speed up" bringing perpetrators to justice, adding: "Prosecute them and impose appropriate penalties and we ask the perpetrators to apologise."
Inquiry Findings
The blaze in June 2017 was found by a public inquiry to have been avoidable, preceded by "decades of failure" by governments and the building industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings. The inquiry's final report in 2024 found victims, the bereaved and survivors were "badly failed" through incompetence, dishonesty and greed, with the tower block covered in combustible products because of the "systematic dishonesty" of firms which made and sold the cladding and insulation. Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick condemned the "deliberate and sustained" manipulation of fire safety testing, misrepresentation of test data and misleading of the market.
Community Response
Speaking outside the service, Pat, a local resident and volunteer for the Grenfell Memorial Quilt, told the Press Association that following the tragedy "everyone opened their hearts and their homes and looked after each other". "They came with food, they came with clothes and all of the necessities - because people lost everything," she said. "They could never go back into that place and pick up the things they loved - their photographs, their teddies, their passports - they had nothing. It was terrible and they will never forget it. It will always be with them, it will never go away."
