The Grenfell Tower inquiry was forced to halt its hearing on Monday morning following angry outbursts from members of the public.
The hearing was temporarily suspended within minutes of it beginning as a number of people in the public gallery began heckling the first witness.
Some asked aloud: "Have you sold your soul yet, Sir Martin?”
Others were heard shouting “What’s the point?”, “Why don’t you ask the corporates to leave?", “It’s a disgrace” and “what’s the f****** point?”
The courtroom erupted as inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick invited Andrzej Kuszell, director of Studio E architects, to start giving evidence.
One man tried to stage a sit-in protest and refused to leave. But he was expelled from the room shortly after.
Speaking as the hearing resumed after the interruption, a member of the public in the room said: “These people are not bereaved and survivors.”
The group of survivors present appeared very angry at the disruption caused.
Sir Martin responded: “I don’t know who they are, I recognise most of the faces I see in front of me, and I’m very pleased to see you here every day and I know how strongly you all feel about this.”
The chairman of the inquiry also said: “I was slightly surprised because during the phase one hearings I was very impressed by the way in which everyone listened to the witnesses in a respectful and dignified way.
“Obviously, you may hear things that you don’t like to hear, and people may feel strongly about some of the evidence but it’s very important […] that the witnesses are allowed to give their evidence with dignity and respect from everyone.”
The inquiry has resumed today with corporate witnesses being assured their evidence would not be used to prosecute them.
A month-long break was taken to resolve issued with firms involved in the refurbishment of the block threatening to withdraw cooperation if they were not given immunity for testifying.
The Attorney General Suella Braverman has approved the de facto immunity for the companies.
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The individuals involved in the short fracas are believed to be from the wider-west London community and are not the bereaved nor survivors.