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ACORN members demand justice for woman and son who fled Twinnell House fire
Members of the housing union ACORN gathered at City Hall to demand dignity for a woman who has been “trapped” in a Travelodge after escaping the fire at Twinnell House in Easton with her young son in September.
Selma Muuse and her six-year-old son Ahmed were initially moved to emergency accommodation in a hotel room at Holiday Inn, before being moved to a Travelodge room in the city centre.
Selma said she was unable to leave this accommodation otherwise she would be locked out. Ahmed, who has autism, was also unable to attend school for the same reason.
is needed now More than ever
Selma also said staff would not let friends bring food to her and that they turned off the electricity and water supply to the room.
This has now been reversed and Bristol City Council have offered Selma new accommodation but this will not be available until mid-December.
In the meantime, the council have told her she can move back in to her old flat, but both Selma and Ahmed have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress from the night of the fire and fear flashbacks and panic attacks if they are forced back to their old building.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck0Uo-oIltQ/
Nearly 30 members of ACORN stood outside the door to City Hall on Friday to demand that mayor Marvin Rees and director of housing, Donald Graham, provide appropriate accommodation for Selma and Ahmed, and immediately investigate their treatment.
ACORN members plastered ‘Justice for Selma’ posters onto the city hall door and read out their demands. The group said they also ran into mayor outside city hall by chance and that they were able to hand their demands to him.
ACORN is holding a community gathering and vigil outside Twinnell House on Saturday morning to mark two months since the deadly fire.
Main photo: ACORN
Read next:
- Mayor likens ACORN council meeting disrupters to Capitol Hill insurrection
- Council announces new tower block safety measures in wake of deadly fire
- ‘I was scared for my life and my son’s life’ – Tower block residents recall night of fire
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