DOZENS of white doves were released at the start of Notting Hill Carnival during a poignant opening ceremony in honour of those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire.
The blackened tower stood in contrast to the colour and flamboyance of the carnival parade – a stark reminder of the devastating fire 10 weeks ago that left at least 80 dead.
The official opening ceremony yesterday morning began with a multi-faith prayer and release of the birds into the sky as a “small act of remembrance” to mark the tragedy. The birds were released from the hands of survivors and local residents, as well as Kensington and Chelsea Council leader Elizabeth Campbell, London mayor Sadiq Khan and local MP Emma Dent Coad.
Handmade green hearts and streamers adorned the judging area, while spectators wore green following a campaign encouraging people to go “green for Grenfell”, which organisers said they hoped would symbolise “reverence and respect amidst the revelry”.
At 3pm hundreds of thousands of revellers along the route paused to observe a minute’s silence to mark the tragedy. Performers passed within half a mile of the tower’s charred shell, with a quiet zone decked out in yellow where performers were encouraged to lower the volume of their music out of respect for those who died.
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