By Catarina Demony
LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Britain's government said on Tuesday it has paused the demolition of parts of Grenfell Tower after bereaved families warned they would take legal action if walls bearing handprints were not preserved.
A fire tore through the 24-storey social housing block in one of London's wealthiest areas in June 2017, killing 72 people. Demolition began in September last year.
During pre-demolition visits, families discovered sections of stairwell walls with handprints they believe belong to victims or survivors, as well as an Arabic inscription reading "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") on another floor.
Following a request to preserve the walls, a government official said they would not keep any sections above the ninth floor, citing sensitivity and loss of life. Both the handprints and the inscription were located above this level.
Families filed a pre-action letter last week seeking a judicial review of the decision.
Grenfell Next of Kin (GNK), which advocates for families of the deceased, argued that former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had promised in 2025 that parts of the tower could be preserved for a memorial if the community wished.
They urged the government to protect the areas while discussions with families and memorial designers take place.
"Due to ongoing legal action, we have paused deconstruction works in the relevant areas," a spokesperson for the government ministry responsible for Grenfell said.
GNK said the protection was secured only because bereaved families were forced to take legal action.
The government's legal department said sections between the 12th and 14th floors would be cordoned off while demolition continues elsewhere. Demolition work in those areas has been halted pending response to the pre-action letter.
The "Allahu Akbar" inscription between the 17th and 18th floors has already been destroyed.
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
