Grenfell Tower protests: Activists shut down streets of Kensington and Notting Hill with march for victims of tower fire

Activists shut down the streets of west London as they staged a march demanding justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower inferno.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Kensington and Notting Hill on Friday evening amid mounting anger over the official response to the tragedy.

Young men on bicycles rode at the front of the protest ringing their bells, while people on foot behind them waved placards and chanted: “We want justice” and “No justice, no peace.”

A slogan on one of the banners held aloft read: “KCTMO [the company that managed the tower block] has blood on their hands”.

Activists march towards Grenfell Tower
Eleanor Rose

The protesters paused along Kensington Church Street, stopping near Notting Hill Gate station to give speeches by loudspeaker. One speaker cried out: “I want justice for Grenfell” several times.

Another woman told the Standard: “I’m here to shout at the top of my lungs that this is not fair.”

The group chanted: "No justice, no peace" and "We want justice"
Eleanor Rose

Melissa North, 25, who owns an art studio near to Notting Hill Methodist Church, was on the street with local residents watching the protest go past.

She told the Standard: "It's good for people to get their voices heard. People are just shell shocked - and there's a lot of anger.

The protesters move through the streets of west London
Rex Features

“We had an open studio event planned this weekend and were considering cancelling it but now we are going to do it to raise money to help."

Protest: Traffic was brought to a standstill
EPA

The group eventually gathered on Lancaster Road, near to the methodist church in the shadow of the burned out shell of Grenfell Tower.

Police stopped them proceeding any further with metal barriers and uniformed officers forming a line at the front of the demonstration.

Lines of police prevented the protest going further (Eleanor Rose)

Protestors congregated outside the church, where missing posters are tacked to road signs and railings.

Men, women and children stopped to light candles in front of floral tributes laid outside the church.

Activists lay candles outside Notting Hill Methodist Church
Eleanor Rose

Some activists locked police standing in the line in tense conversations, with one man saying: "People are dead. Look at that building. Do you have any empathy?"

Protestors remonstrated with police, who blocked the path
Eleanor Rose

Meanwhile others continued to address the crowd on loudspeakers, urging them to turn up to future demonstrations.

Protesters storm Kensington town hall

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The scene of the major fire in Notting Hill. (NIGEL HOWARD ©)
NIGEL HOWARD ©

She has pledged five million pounds of Government funding to be spent on emergency supplies, food and clothing for the victims.

In an update on Friday, police confirmed at least 30 people had died in the fire and that the death toll was still expected to rise.

Firefighters were continuing their search of the 24-storey west London for the bodies of those killed.

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