[News] Grenfell Tower bonfire

[The Clamp]

Silly boys.

 

[Wozza]

He supports his local Premier League football team Crystal Palace.

Of course! They love burning stuff and building shite displays.

See also: https://twitter.com/northstandchat/status/902201471185367040?lang=en

 

[nwgull]

I must admit that I am a bit uneasy about the criminal justice system being used against these deeply unpleasant people. What is offensive or in bad taste is very subjective and will change in time with the potential of creating dangerous precedents for the future. I think most of us can agree that they were being very offensive but not putting anyone at risk, or compromising anyone's individual's rights, by their actions, which for me is the 'red line' when it comes to freedom of speech and expression. If individuals or groups of individuals, such as survivors or relatives were to initiate some form of action themselves I think that could be different but we still get into the area of whether people have a right not to be offended. It's a difficult one as on an emotional level I would really like to see them suffer some punishment for this.

I agree with you. They will however be punished by virtue of their names being in the public domain. I can't imagine their current (or future) employers will be very impressed, and any football clubs they support - whether that be Palace or whoever - will want to dissassociate themselves with them, especially if they're season ticket holders.

 

[Rich Suvner]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46106224

There is no doubt that this goes beyond poor taste - it's really very unpleasant that anybody could think this was a good idea. But there are two things that bother me and I feel are in danger of being overlooked:

1) Five people have been arrested over this. Really? I mean it's vile, it really is, but do we really want to go down the path of arresting people for this sort of thing? I'd be interested to know NSC's opinion on this.

2) The article points out that Theresa May has called the video "utterly unacceptable". To me this is typical of her really - did she need to lower herself to comment on this at all, given that she wasn't all that quick to condemn (if she has done so at all) the Conservative council that saw fit to penny pinch with flammable cladding just so that this dreadful eyesore of a building didn't offend the eyes of her core voters in posh Kensington. In my view, it's much easier to get the pitch forks at people posting videos in poor taste than it ever was to actually confront the people whose responsibility it was to look after that building in the first place. Very weak.

on the money

poor taste - yes. but so was my mate when he wore a Jimmy Saville costume. or when some of us dressed up as suicide bombers for a stag do. or when people burn effigies of the Pope and others at Lewes bonfire. or the various jokes that get circulated when someone famous dies etc etc

and so it goes on. it was bad taste, but it's funny how we'll be selective which of those we choose to make a big deal about.

the fact is, the real crime has gone largely undealt with.

 

[worthingseagull123]

What I don’t understand is why burning effigies ok, whilst we all agree the Grenfell bonfire stunt is in very poor taste?

 

[Chicken Run]

on the money

poor taste - yes. but so was my mate when he wore a Jimmy Saville costume. or when some of us dressed up as suicide bombers for a stag do. or when people burn effigies of the Pope and others at Lewes bonfire. or the various jokes that get circulated when someone famous dies etc etc

and so it goes on. it was bad taste, but it's funny how we'll be selective which of those we choose to make a big deal about.

the fact is, the real crime has gone largely undealt with.

Don’t forget the Thai chairman flavoured walker sensation crisp packet doctoring that got sent round that Saturday night!

 

[Weststander]

Worryingly, looking at their ages the older people involved have created another generation of morons with the same mindset. Perpetuating nastiness and racism.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don’t forget the Thai chairman flavoured walker sensation crisp packet doctoring that got sent round that Saturday night!

I am no stranger to bad taste gags but what’s different with this bonfire stunt is the racist undercurrent. There wasn’t a racist element to the Thai crisps thingy, there is with this bonfire stunt....this is what I don’t like about it.

 

[Weststander]

I agree with you. They will however be punished by virtue of their names being in the public domain. I can't imagine their current (or future) employers will be very impressed, and any football clubs they support - whether that be Palace or whoever - will want to dissassociate themselves with them, especially if they're season ticket holders.

Or ‘jokey heroes’ to their particular band of families, mates and colleagues.

 

[beorhthelm]

What I don’t understand is why burning effigies ok, whilst we all agree the Grenfell bonfire stunt is in very poor taste?

historical context.

 

[Bold Seagull]

What I don’t understand is why burning effigies ok, whilst we all agree the Grenfell bonfire stunt is in very poor taste?

You don't understand why burning a mocking likeness of someone is a satirical, political statement or protest that dates back centuries is different to burning a model mocking the tragic deaths of 72 people? You need that explaining?

 

[Easy 10]

"Detectives investigating a video of a model of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire have searched a house in south London believed to be the home of one of the five men who handed themselves in to police on Monday night.

Three officers carried evidence bags into the terraced property and knocked on neighbours’ doors while the men were being questioned on suspicion of a public order offence. "


I'm all for them being publically vilified, they deserve it. But this is a ridiculous waste of police time.

 

[Chicken Run]

I am no stranger to bad taste gags but what’s different with this bonfire stunt is the racist undercurrent. There wasn’t a racist element to the Thai crisps thingy, there is with this bonfire stunt....this is what I don’t like about it.

I don’t like either of the stunts but was pointing out how quickly people act on a tragedy and spread the word! Of course none of this was a widespread when we kids Noel as there wasn’t Social Media enabling the rapid spread of bad taste!

I think my first taste of poor taste jokes was the Challenger Disaster and what does NASA stand for!!!!

 

[Weststander]

Norwood, no surprise.

 

[worthingseagull123]

You don't understand why burning a mocking likeness of someone is a satirical, political statement or protest that dates back centuries is different to burning a model mocking the tragic deaths of 72 people? You need that explaining?

But each is likely to cause offence/distress.

 

[Ernest]

"Detectives investigating a video of a model of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire have searched a house in south London believed to be the home of one of the five men who handed themselves in to police on Monday night.

Three officers carried evidence bags into the terraced property and knocked on neighbours’ doors while the men were being questioned on suspicion of a public order offence. "


I'm all for them being publically vilified, they deserve it. But this is a ridiculous waste of police time.

If you had lost a loved one at Grenfell then you may feel a bit different

 

[Acker79]

[tweet]1059599987259138050[/tweet]

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I get why people find this distasteful because this is no laughing matter, and yet if a Grenfell survivor decided to burn an effigy of the tower as a protest / reminder against the government dragging its heels over the slow replacement of flammable cladding on buildings throughout the UK they'd be making a powerful statement.

I heard the words on the video as well as seeing it. It went a lot further than just burning an effigy, mocking the people crying for help, whilst it was burning also bringing their skin colour into it.

As for police time, as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, a couple of hours collecting evidence isn't much in the scheme of things as the people turned themselves in. Unsuprising as their faces are quite clearly seen in the video.

 

[Kneon Light]

Norwood, no surprise.

I know he's not the greatest midfielder but that's a bit harsh!

 

[The Clamp]

I’m sure the police are aware of what they are doing. It will be appropriately accorded a priority level. The police are not going to leave a mugged pensioner fighting for her life to continue to interview Bobbi Chavsack from Norwood if those specific officers were required on the scene.