Finance
Grenfell families urge UK government to preserve tower's walls bearing handprints
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 26, 2026
Quick Summary
Families of Grenfell victims urge the UK government to preserve stairwell walls bearing handprints and an Arabic prayer. They have sent a pre-action letter after officials said nothing above the ninth floor would be kept during deconstruction.
Grenfell families press UK to save stairwell walls with handprints
By Catarina Demony
Call to Preserve Stairwell Walls
LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Family members of those who died in London's 2017 Grenfell Tower fire called on Thursday for the government to preserve sections of its stairwell walls bearing handprints they believe belong to victims or survivors.
Timeline of Tower Deconstruction
A fire ripped through the 24-storey social housing block in one of London's wealthiest areas early on June 14, 2017, killing 72 people. Deconstruction of the tower began in September last year and is expected to take two years.
Images and Inscriptions Cited
A photograph shared with Reuters shows a smoke- and fire-blackened wall in a hallway on one of the floors, bearing at least three visible handprints. An Arabic inscription reading "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") was also found on a different floor. Handprints were also found in another stairwell.
"These sections on the walls in the stairwell hold the voices of that night - and we will not let them be erased, silenced, or this tragedy be sanitised," said Karim Khalloufi, who lost his sister in the fire.
Legal Action and Government Stance
The families have filed a pre-action letter to the government to try to bring a judicial review, where a judge would examine the lawfulness of a public body's decision or action.
Previous Preservation Pledge
They argue that former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had, in 2025, promised that parts of the tower could be preserved for a memorial if the community wanted it.
Community Memorial Considerations
Grenfell Next of Kin, which advocates for immediate families of over half of the deceased, called for the government to preserve these sections to allow time for discussions with the families and memorial designers.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the families say the government has said it will not preserve anything above the ninth floor due to the sensitivity and loss of life. Both the handprints and the inscription were found above this level.
A spokesperson for MHCLG said the government was committed to "ensuring what happened at the tower is remembered, with the community's voice at the heart of our work", adding that work to take it down was being carefully handled with those affected.
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; editing by Sharon Singleton)
Key Takeaways
- •Bereaved families asked the UK government to preserve stairwell walls that bear visible handprints and an Arabic inscription believed linked to victims or survivors.
- •A pre-action letter seeks a judicial review of the decision not to preserve materials above the ninth floor.
- •Families cite Angela Rayner’s 2025 indication that parts of the tower could be retained for a memorial if the community wished.
- •Deconstruction began in September 2025 and is expected to take around two years.
- •Officials say the take-down is being handled respectfully with ongoing engagement with those affected.
Frequently Asked Questions about Grenfell families urge UK government to preserve tower's walls bearing handprints
1What is the main topic?
Bereaved families are urging the UK government to preserve Grenfell Tower stairwell walls that show handprints and an Arabic inscription, arguing they hold vital historical and memorial value.
2Another relevant question?
Why are the families pursuing legal action? They filed a pre-action letter seeking a judicial review after being told materials above the ninth floor would not be preserved.
3Third question about the topic?
What is happening to the tower now? Deconstruction began in September 2025 and is expected to last about two years, with officials stating the process is being handled sensitively.
