A woman has been captured on video removing yellow memorial ribbons commemorating the anniversary of the October 7 attack in Israel, prompting a Metropolitan Police investigation into potential hate crime and criminal damage offences.
The incident occurred in Muswell Hill, north London, on Monday afternoon, when the unidentified woman was filmed using scissors to cut down the ribbons that had been tied to fence poles. A witness at the scene confronted her, calling her actions those of a “disgusting human being”.
When challenged to identify herself, the woman defended her behaviour and denied any wrongdoing. “You’re not going to do this. I’m not committing a crime,” she responded. If I am, call the police and you let them know that you have an issue with this.
After being repeatedly labelled “disgusting” by onlookers, the woman justified her actions by referencing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. “I think condoning genocide is disgusting. That’s what this is,” she stated.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers are examining the footage to establish whether criminal offences have taken place. A force spokesman said: “At approximately 4.25pm on Monday, October 6, officers were made aware of a video circulating online which appears to show a woman removing ribbons from fence poles in Muswell Hill, Haringey.”
Police attended the location and are currently reviewing the material to determine if any offences occurred, including hate crime or criminal damage. The investigation remains active.
Yellow ribbons have long symbolised hope and solidarity, but have become particularly associated with the Bring Them Home campaign. This international movement calls for the safe return of hostages seized by Hamas during the terror group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The removal of the ribbons sparked outrage amongst those with personal connections to the attack. Heidi Bachram, who states that her husband’s relatives were both killed and taken hostage during the assault, condemned the woman’s behaviour on social media.
Writing on X, she said: “Cut down yellow ribbons in London and justified her repulsive act by saying they ‘condone genocide’. This is where lies lead. To dehumanise innocent hostages who are being starved and tortured in terror tunnels. Manchester didn’t make them pause at all.”
The reference to Manchester relates to a recent attack on a synagogue in the city by Syrian-born terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, which occurred just days before the ribbon incident.
The anniversary of the October 7 attack comes amidst an ongoing and deeply divisive conflict in the Middle East. According to Gaza health authorities, more than 67,000 Palestinians, including both civilians and combatants, have been killed in Gaza since the attack. Nearly one-third of those deaths involve individuals under the age of 18.
Israeli officials maintain their military operations target Hamas specifically and that efforts are made to minimise civilian casualties. They assert that the terror group deliberately operates within civilian areas, using the population as cover, claims that Hamas denies.
Last month, a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, pointing to the scale of casualties as evidence supporting its determination. Israeli authorities rejected the finding as biased and “scandalous”.
The conflict began with Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israeli government figures show at least 1,665 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed between that date and September 29, 2025. Of these casualties, 1,200 died during the initial October 7 attack itself.
The Israeli military reports that 466 soldiers have been killed in combat operations, with a further 2,951 wounded since ground forces entered Gaza on October 27, 2023.
During the October 7 attack, Hamas militants took 251 people back to Gaza as hostages. According to Israeli authorities, 48 hostages remain in captivity, with only 20 believed to still be alive.
The yellow ribbon incident highlights the deep divisions within British communities over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Similar confrontations have occurred across the country as both sides of the debate seek to make their positions visible through public displays and memorials.
The Metropolitan Police investigation will determine whether the woman’s actions constitute criminal damage to property or potentially more serious hate crime offences, which carry enhanced penalties under British law.
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