'Removing yellow hostage ribbons is morally repugnant'

The actions of a woman who was filmed cutting down yellow ribbons tied to a fence were "morally repugnant", members of the Jewish community have said.

The ribbons, which symbolise calls for a return of the hostages captured by Hamas on 7 October 2023, were put up in Muswell Hill, north London, ahead of the two-year anniversary of the attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages taken.

Ben Paul, who put up the ribbons on Fortis Green Road, told BBC London: "It's all about hostages, human beings. I don't care what your politics are: this is a simple tale of morality."

When challenged as she cut ribbons from the fence, the woman in the video said she was committing no crime, and when she was described as "disgusting", she replied: "I think condoning genocide is disgusting."

Ben Paul put up the ribbons to show support for the hostages captured by Hamas

The Metropolitan Police said it had "stepped up reassurance patrols in the Muswell Hill area following reports that yellow ribbons were removed from fence poles".

Emma Semp, who puts up ribbons and posters as part of a volunteer group, said it was "very depressing" that someone she believed to be of Jewish heritage had cut them down.

Emma Semp says "now we are actually keeping guard of our ribbons"

"This is not acceptable to the Jewish community so we've put them back up and now we are actually keeping guard of our ribbons," the 41-year-old told BBC London.

"This is already a solemn day for everyone and to feel so unsupported, and to also feel like people are trying to erase the trauma that has happened to Israelis, to the Jewish community and the families and friends of those hostages, is heartbreaking."

It is thought 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

The yellow ribbons were put up ahead of the anniversary of the Hamas attacks

Mr Paul, 55, said he wanted to pay tribute to his friend Guy Gilboa Dalal, who was seized from the Nova festival in southern Israel two years ago.

"These yellow ribbons, they're not political - they're about humanitarianism," he said.

"It's all about releasing the hostages, letting these kids go back to their mums and their dads, and when people come and brazenly, in front of us, bring pairs of big shears or scissors and cut them down saying 'we don't like what message you're portraying here', we don't take that lightly."

Mr Paul said that after the ribbons which were removed were replaced, someone else "cowardly" cut them down "under the cover of darkness" on Monday. More ribbons were then put up on Tuesday morning.

He added: "Right behind me there was a poster that's been there for two years saying 'end the genocide, stop the genocide'.

"Nobody has touched that poster because people have a freedom in this country to espouse their political views. Why can't we?"

A Met Police spokesperson said: "At approximately 16:25 BST on Monday officers were made aware of a video circulating online which appears to show a woman removing the ribbons in Muswell Hill.

"Officers attended the location and are reviewing the footage to determine whether any offences, including hate crime or criminal damage, have been committed. Inquiries remain ongoing."