Five arrested over Grenfell Tower effigy burning

Five men have been arrested, after handing themselves in at a South London police station, over a video showing a Grenfell Tower effigy burning which emerged on social media, leading to public and political outrage.

The men, aged 19, 46, 55 and two 49-year-olds, were arrested on the suspicion of a public order offence, which covers intentional "harassment, alarm or distress" caused via the use of "threatening, abusive or insulting" words or signs.

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Scotland Yard launched an investigation following public and political outcry over the video showing a group of people laughing as they burn an effigy of Grenfell Tower. In total, 72 people died in the blaze at the West London tower block in June last year.

Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted that the video was “utterly unacceptable," while Home Secretary Sajid Javid dubbed it “disgusting, shameful, behaviour.”

Labour MP Emma Dent Coad, in whose Kensington constituency Grenfell Tower resides, was a part of an online effort to identify those in the video.

As the cardboard model of the tower block begins to burn, the group of men and women can be heard laughing. One man appears to mockingly say, “stay in your flat” as he re-positions the effigy above burning hot coals. “Help me, help me,” another man shrieks, apparently in jest, as the fire climbs the paper model.

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