A woman has come forward to justify her decision to remove yellow ribbons from a north London park that honors Israeli hostages.

Nadia Yahlom was recorded cutting down the ribbons, which were fastened to railings at Princes Avenue Park in Muswell Hill, Haringey, on October 6 — the night before the second anniversary of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Yahlom spoke just before the release of the last 20 surviving hostages and the return of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on a following Monday. She questioned why the focus seemed to be solely on “Jewish lives” when discussing worth and memorialization.

Her actions have drawn criticism from local Jewish community members, with one individual labeling her behavior as “morally repugnant” during the incident.

Yahlom stated that she never aimed to attract public attention and has faced threats of sexual violence and harm since dismantling the ribbons, which symbolize the hope for releasing hostages taken by Hamas two years ago.

“I am a Palestinian-Jewish woman residing in this community, and I have every right to oppose genocide— a genocide that is being carried out in my name,” she explained.

Video footage that circulated widely shows her being confronted as she took the ribbons down.

The yellow “bring them home” ribbon stands for hope concerning the safe return of hostages taken on October 7, 2023.

Yahlom was interviewed by police under caution after removing the ribbons from railings on Fortis Green Road, but she was not detained.

When asked about her motivations for cutting the ribbons, she expressed to BBC London that after enduring “genocide” in Gaza for two years, it is unacceptable to be told that “only Jewish lives are worth commemorating.”

“It’s shocking to me that there’s immense moral outrage over a few ribbons being taken down, while generations of lives in Gaza are being devastated,” she commented.

A recent report from a United Nations inquiry indicated that Israel had committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. However, Israel’s foreign ministry has firmly rejected this report, calling it “distorted and false.” According to the health ministry run by Hamas, over 67,000 Palestinians have died due to Israel’s military operations and ground invasion.

In her BBC interview, Yahlom defended her actions as a “peaceful form of protest,” mentioning that she felt “offended, intimidated, and threatened” by the presence of the ribbons.

She asserted that she did not believe the ribbons accurately reflected Israeli civilian hostages.

Although Yahlom was seen removing the ribbons just before the second anniversary of the 2023 Hamas assaults on Israel—which resulted in roughly 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages—she claimed she was unaware of the timing.

Furthermore, she stated that discussions about “the oppression of Palestinian people” should extend back not just to October 7, but to “1948.”

Reflecting on the backlash she received for cutting down the ribbons, Yahlom described herself as a target of a “coordinated hate campaign.”

“I merely snipped a few ribbons from a railing in a public park that I visit regularly as part of my daily life in this community,” she said.

She reported having faced physical attacks, doxing, threats of violence, and harassment aimed at silencing her.

According to Yahlom, those individuals are diverting attention away from the significant loss of life in Gaza.

“It’s a calculated move by those leading this witch hunt against me to shift the narrative. In what world should the focus be on me cutting ribbons rather than on the liberation of the Palestinian people?” she argued.

When questioned about concerns regarding accusations of antisemitism, Yahlom replied, “It is antisemitic to suggest that a Jewish individual opposing genocide is motivated by hatred.”

“I never set out to put myself or my family in this position. Yet, now that I have a platform, I have a chance as a Palestinian Jew to voice: ‘Not in my name.'”

On her way to the interview, she noticed several Palestinian flags and stickers advocating for Palestinian liberation that had been torn down.

Yahlom recounted an earlier encounter with a woman in Muswell Hill who was removing a Palestinian flag sticker, emphasizing that they engaged in a discussion without resorting to mob tactics, intimidation, or threats.

She criticized the media for inflaming tensions around her actions, claiming it has highlighted the perils of speaking out against genocide.

“The contrast between my civil conversation with someone removing a Palestinian flag and the reaction to my ribbon cutting is stark,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they are investigating the situation as racially aggravated criminal damage and a racially aggravated public order offense.

“The investigation will comprehensively examine all evidence to determine if the incident was motivated by animosity towards a racial group, or if those involved displayed such hostility during the reported offense,” the spokesperson stated.

Additionally, they mentioned they are looking into reports of a hate crime on October 10 and threats made on October 6.