Counter-terror officers are appealing for witnesses to the stabbing of a woman wearing a Charlie Hebdo t-shirt in London’s Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon.

Footage shared on social media shows a hooded figure approach the woman, whose top pays tribute to the French satirical magazine where 12 staff were massacred by two Muslim brothers in 2015 for publishing cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed.

She was then seen clutching her right hand close to her body as what appears to be blood streamed down her face.

The incident, which is not currently being treated as terror-related, happened in front of a crowd at Speaker’s Corner, where people often gather to give and listen to speeches.

Her t-shirt appeared to show a print of the cover of the first edition published after the shooting, which bore a cartoon depicting a Muslim man and a cartoonist locked in a passionate kiss below the words: ‘Love is stronger than hate’.

The 39-year-old woman taken to hospital and treated for a slash wound to the head, which is not life-threatening.

The attacker was filmed fleeing the scene after bystanders tried to intervene, with some giving chase and throwing objects at the individual.

Police were called to the site at 3.30pm and were seen helping the victim into a van shortly afterwards. No arrests have been made.

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Detective Superintendent Alex Bingley, of the Central West Command Unit which covers policing in Westminster, said: ‘This was clearly a very distressing incident for the woman involved and officers have spent time with her, whilst she was being treated for her injury, to get an account of what happened.

‘We know that this assault was witnessed by a number of people, many of whom captured it on their phones.

‘I would ask them, if they have not already done so, to contact police.’

He continued: ‘We remain in the early stages of our investigation and are working hard to trace the person responsible.

‘I would ask people not to speculate on the motive for the attack until we have established the full facts.’

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