‘No humanity left’: Ribbons supporting Ukraine torn down in Elm Park after being retied three times

On March 11, Marie Edgar, 65, and her friend Sue Shaw, 71, felt something needed to be done locally to show support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

Following a suggestion from a friend, the duo decided to tie ribbons sporting the Ukrainian flag's yellow and blue to railings near the station in Elm Park.

Some of the ribbons Marie and Sue distributed around Elm Park (Image: Marie Edgar)

Marie said they received many compliments from the local community, including from two Ukrainians, thanking them for their efforts.

However, later that evening, Marie said the ribbons had been torn down.

Determined to persevere, Marie and Sue headed out again with ribbons and signs asking people to leave them up.

However, later that same night, they had already been removed again.

“We are talking about 2.5 hours later,” said Marie.

The cycle continued a third time, with Marie estimating there are now only about two ribbons left and all the signs have been torn down.

Marie asked: "What sort of place do we live in?”

Both Havering Council and Transport for London have confirmed they did not remove the ribbons.

Marie, who works at a church in Hackney and has always been active in the local community, including having done tea for the Elm Park Flower Show, said it was intended as an act of solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

“Those families have had to leave their men behind,” she said. “It’s a horrible thing to be facing.”

Marie said her and Sue had tied up the ribbons on three occasions, though most of them had been torn down (Image: Marie Edgar)

To have had the ribbons continually removed has affected her perception of Elm Park, Marie said. “I felt sad really that I live in a place where somebody will do that. I felt there was just no humanity left in Elm Park."

She had previously been hopeful that “we had made great progress”, she said.

Marie, who maintained her resolve to show support for Ukraine, said although she is not planning on retying the ribbons again herself, she would be happy to do it as part of a community effort.

“We cannot imagine how bad it is for somebody in a war zone,” she said, saying she just wanted to "let them know that we were thinking of them”.