Grenfell tower effigy: Sixth man arrested over video showing model being burned on a bonfire

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Police have arrested a sixth man over a video showing an effigy of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire.

The 19-year-old was detained on suspicion of a public order offence after handing himself in to a police station in south London.

Five men – two 49-year-olds and the others aged 19, 46 and 55 – were arrested on Monday night.

All have since been released under investigation, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday evening.

Footage which emerged earlier that day showed a model depicting Grenfell Tower, with figures of residents at the windows, being set alight in a back garden to mark Bonfire Night.

In the video, people watching the burning can be heard laughing and mockingly shouting “stay in your flats” – a reference to the advice families who lived in the west London block of flats were initially told as it was engulfed in flames.

Seventy-two people died in June 2017 disaster.

Survivors groups have condemned the effigy-burning as “grotesque”.

Justice for Grenfell described those involved as ”despicable” but said it would be careful about commenting further so it did not “jeopardise any future prosecution process”.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who is chairing a public inquiry into last year’s fire, 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... whatever form their involvement took, whether as bereaved, survivors or indeed members of the wider community.

“I am very pleased to hear that the authorities are taking the matter very seriously and that an investigation is under way.”

Theresa May, the prime minister, described the video as ”utterly unacceptable”, while Metropolitan Police commander Stuart Cundy, who is leading the investigation into the blaze, said he was ”frankly appalled by the callous nature” of the video.

The force’s Grenfell Tower investigation team is leading the probe into the footage.

Officers were seen searching a south London address in relation to the video earlier on Tuesday.

Three officers from the Metropolitan Police carried evidence bags into the terraced property in South Norwood, Croydon.

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.

After leaving the house, officers searched bins under the front window and knocked on neighbours’ doors.