Counter-terrorism probe after five injured in Edinburgh attacks targeting Muslims
A 36-year-old white Scottish man was arrested after a series of violent incidents near a mosque in Edinburgh left five men injured, prompting a counter-terrorism investigation.
What happened on Friday night
Emergency services responded to the first report at 8:50 pm in the Sighthill area where two men were attacked near Broomhouse mosque. Police then received multiple calls about violent incidents, robberies, and vandalism across the west and north of the city. Three more men were injured in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area. Five men aged 22 to 39 were hurt, with three needing hospital treatment; none of the injuries were life-threatening.
- First attack reported in Sighthill; two men injured near Broomhouse mosque.
- Further violent incidents, robberies, and vandalism in Telford Road and Leith Walk areas; three more men injured.
- Police confront and arrest 36-year-old white Scottish man carrying a weapon on Leith Walk.
Video footage on social media appeared to show a shirtless man carrying a long weapon roaming a street and battering a restaurant door. Another clip appeared to show the same man on the ground shouting about "protecting the country from these Muslim bastards" while being detained. Police arrested a 36-year-old white Scottish man around 9:30 pm and said there was no further threat to the public.
Police and political response
Counter-terrorism officers are now leading the investigation, supported by local policing and specialist colleagues. Officers cordoned off Leith Walk on Friday evening.
I want to send a clear message of support to all our communities that there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in a Scotland which is at its best when we stand together.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said he was deeply concerned, stressing that there is no place for violence, racism, or intolerance in the country. The case is being directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
Community reaction
Muslim groups described a community in shock. The Scottish Association of Mosques said two of the injured were attacked after attending prayers at their local mosque. The Muslim Council of Britain said the community was "rightly nervous and worried" and blamed "political rhetoric that demonises entire communities."
There is a profound sense of shock, alarm and anger within Muslim communities across Scotland today. These latest attacks are deeply disturbing. However, they do not exist in a vacuum.
The anti-Islamophobia non-profit MEND urged police to treat the incidents as Islamophobic, far-right terror.
Broader context
The attacks follow a wave of anti-migrant and anti-Muslim sentiment across the United Kingdom, including recent riots in Northern Ireland and England. Last week, Belfast saw two nights of serious disorder after a knife attack by a Sudanese asylum seeker triggered protests and violence.
