By Bill Bowkett

Copyright standard

A woman has been questioned by Metropolitan Police officers in connection with the removal of yellow ribbons in London remembering hostages on the anniversary of the October 7 massacre.

The pieces of fabric — which symbolise calls for a return of the remaining hostages being held by Hamas — were put up on railings in Muswell Hill, Haringey ahead of the two-year anniversary of the attacks in which 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Scotland Yard confirmed a 36-year-old woman voluntarily attended a police station on Tuesday and was interviewed under caution.

A Met spokesperson said: “At approximately 16:25hrs on Monday, 6 October, officers were made aware of a video circulating online which appears to show a woman removing ribbons from fence poles in Muswell Hill.

“A 36-year-old woman attended a police station on Tuesday, 7 October, for a voluntary interview in connection with the incident, which is being treated as racially-aggravated criminal damage and a racially-aggravated Section 5 public order offence.

“Officers are continuing to carry out reassurance patrols in the Muswell Hill area”.

Ben Paul, a resident who put up the ribbons, previously said the ribbons’ removal was “morally repugnant”, adding: “I don’t care what your politics are: this is a simple tale of morality.”

Miranda Levy, who saw the memorial of ribbons being torn down, told the Daily Mail: “On the rare occasion the ribbons do get put up, they last for minutes before they are unceremoniously ripped down by people who can’t bear to think there are humans on both sides of the conflict.”

It is believed that 48 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

According to Palestinian health officials, more than 60,000 people have been killed since Israel’s military campaign against Hamas commenced two years ago.