A Grenfell Tower survivor has warned “we will become invisible again” if the tower block is demolished and vowed to chain herself up outside the building if the Government presses ahead with plans to demolish the site.
Emma O’Connor, who lived on the 20th floor and managed to escape the burning block when 72 people tragically lost their lives in 2017, believes that survivors of the blaze will “cease to exist for many” and they will lose their symbol of strength.
The survivor told the Standard that residents should be properly consulted on the decision to demolish the tower and has called for a vote to take place among the Grenfell community to decide what is done to the building.
Ms O’Connor said: “There is going to be a lot of people behind me with this. They will be at the site and won’t let anyone in. If they think they are going to get away with doing this without a fight they are sadly mistaken. We are ready to stand up and be heard.
“They didn’t take any notice of us at all and it just escalated from there. They were warned that [Grenfell] would happen. It happened and it happened again in Barking.”
She continued: “We would chain ourselves with bars and everything. They might try and arrest us but surely the police should be on our side.
“If they try to downsize or change North Kensington fire station I would also be the first person to chain up.”
A long-awaited Government statement confirmed on Friday that parts of Grenfell Tower, the scene of one of Britain’s worst tragedies, will be kept for inclusion in a memorial if that is the wishes of the local community.
The statement described how the remains of the tower block are a painful reminder which has a daily impact on some members of the community.
It said: “For some, Grenfell Tower is a symbol of all that they lost. The presence of the Tower helps to ensure the tragedy is never forgotten and can act as a reminder of the need for justice and accountability.”
One option was to take down some floors of the building in north Kensington in west London but not others.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner rejected this proposal as it “would not be fair to keep some floors of the building that are significant to some families, whilst not being able to do so for others and knowing that, for some, this would be deeply upsetting”.
But Ms O’Connor told the Standard the Grenfell community had been sidelined by the decision.
She continued: “I want it to be done properly. I understand that it could be unstable but it has been standing for nearly eight years after [the fire].
“It needs to be done respectfully we need to be consulted. We could even take it to a vote for what should happen instead of them deciding.”
In an announcement on Friday, the Government confirmed Grenfell Tower will be carefully demolished in a process likely to take two years, which Ms O’Connor believes gives those who oppose the decision time to build a campaign.
She continued: “The amount of time they are going to take to start to take it down sensitively means we have enough time to pick up speed and put pressure on them to revert the decision.”
In a petition set up after bereaved relatives and survivors were told the tower block will be demolished, Ms O Connor wrote: “We call upon Angela Rayner to stall her decision and engage with those most affected and offer us some respect.
“Grenfell Tower was covered in flammable material in order to hide us away, make us disappear from the sight line of those with wealth and power, resulting in the death of 72 of our loved ones.
“If Grenfell Tower is taken down now, we will become invisible again, we will cease to exist for many. There will be no focus, no justice and our loved ones will have died in vain. Grenfell Tower is an immense symbol of strength and unity for all.
“We are fighting for measures that will save many thousands of people from having to endure what we endure daily.
“We demand that every Grenfell bereaved, survivor, resident of Lancaster West estate and Notting Dale ward where the Grenfell Tower still remains, have the opportunity to vote on the future of the tower and what a suitable memorial for the ones we lost in 2017 fire should look like.
“Angela Rayner, you told us that you know us, you know our struggle. If this is true, you know to stop this. Show us some respect and help us maintain dignity for our loved ones killed in the most barbaric way.”
