Woman held after poppies trampled

The picture above shows the moment a woman bends down to read messages left at a cenotaph '“ before kicking and trampling on the poppy wreaths.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Aug 2016, 17:01 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 19:07 BST
BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout still from video issued by Manchester City Council of the moment a woman bends down to read messages left at a cenotaph - before kicking and trampling on the poppy wreaths. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday August 5, 2016. The incident took place during the early hours of Friday at the cenotaph in St Peter's Square in Manchester where wreaths had been placed to commemorate the Battle of the Somme and the soldiers who lost their lives. See PA story POLICE Cenotaph. Photo credit should read: Manchester City Council/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout still from video issued by Manchester City Council of the moment a woman bends down to read messages left at a cenotaph - before kicking and trampling on the poppy wreaths. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday August 5, 2016. The incident took place during the early hours of Friday at the cenotaph in St Peter's Square in Manchester where wreaths had been placed to commemorate the Battle of the Somme and the soldiers who lost their lives. See PA story POLICE Cenotaph. Photo credit should read: Manchester City Council/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout still from video issued by Manchester City Council of the moment a woman bends down to read messages left at a cenotaph - before kicking and trampling on the poppy wreaths. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday August 5, 2016. The incident took place during the early hours of Friday at the cenotaph in St Peter's Square in Manchester where wreaths had been placed to commemorate the Battle of the Somme and the soldiers who lost their lives. See PA story POLICE Cenotaph. Photo credit should read: Manchester City Council/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

The footage, released by Manchester City Council, shows the woman – in her 20s – then brazenly walk off with a friend.

The incident took place during the early hours of yesterday at the cenotaph in St Peter’s Square in Manchester where wreaths had been placed to commemorate the Battle of the Somme and the soldiers who lost their lives.

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Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a woman was detained on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.

Manchester City Council warned that people who vandalised the monument would be caught and punished.

Councillor Pat Karney said: “The protection of our cenotaph is of the utmost importance to Manchester and the message is plain – if you vandalise this monument to those who gave their lives for this country, we will catch you in the act and work with the police to make sure that you are punished.”