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A Palestinian flag flown over a town hall in east London has been ripped from the building in an act of vandalism.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Council Lutfur Rahman made the decision to raise the flag yesterday as a "humanitarian gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Gaza crisis".

A council spokesman said the flag was ripped from its the flagpole in a “perceived act of vandalism.”

The incident is believed to have taken place between midnight and 6am this morning and police are currently reviewing CCTV footage.

The council today faced a backlash from Jewish leaders and campaigners following the decision to fly the flag.

Police visited the council building in Mulberry Place this morning after concerns were raised.

Campaign group YadbYadUK, which supports people harassed in relation to anti-Semitism online, suggested the flag was an “incitement and danger to the Jewish community”.

Yesterday Mr Rahman tweeted an image of the flag with the message: “Palestinian flag flying at Town Hall in solidarity with Gaza and in support of a ceasefire & peace.”

Palestinian flag flying at Town Hall in solidarity with #Gaza and in support of a ceasefire & peace pic.twitter.com/wa7D20RP6e — Lutfur Rahman (@MayorLutfur) July 30, 2014

In a statement he said: “Some have suggested that raising the Palestinian flag is to take sides however my decision was in solidarity with civilian Palestinian victims and I share the view of the UN that these civilians have been unfairly and disproportionately targeted.

“Sometimes politicians need to take a stand in the face of injustice and needless suffering and that is what I am doing.”