Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned a series of attacks in Edinburgh that left five people injured, stating that the suspect appeared to be motivated by “anti-Muslim hatred.” Counter-terrorism officers were brought in to investigate the violent incidents across Edinburgh on Friday, and Police Scotland confirmed that a 36-year-old white Scottish man had been arrested. The force added that there is no further threat to the public.
PM and First Minister Respond
Sir Keir Starmer posted on X, linking to an image of a bare-chested man carrying a large weapon, saying: “Absolutely appalling. No one should face violence on our streets. The suspect appears to be motivated by anti-Muslim hatred. I will not tolerate this – he will face the full force of the law. My thoughts are with those who are injured and I thank the police and the emergency services for their response.” Scottish First Minister John Swinney also condemned the violence, stating: “I am deeply concerned by these incidents. There is no place for violence, racism or intolerance in our country. I met community groups last week to assure them of the strong support of the Government.”
Details of the Attacks
Officers were called to an incident in the Sighthill area of Edinburgh at around 8:50 PM on Friday, where two men were injured. Police then received reports of further incidents across retailers in the west and north of the city. During this period, three other men were allegedly attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area. The five victims—two aged 22, and others aged 24, 27, and 39—sustained a range of injuries. Three required hospital treatment, though none of the injuries are life-threatening. According to the Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) organisation, several of the victims are Muslim.
Arrest and Investigation
The 36-year-old suspect was detained at around 9:30 PM on Friday. Police Scotland is working with Counter Terrorism Policing under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton described the incident as “shocking” and said: “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. Officers responded to multiple reports of a fast-moving sequence of events across Edinburgh before arresting a man and public safety was our priority. Extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances.”
Political and Community Reactions
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “horrified” by the violence, which appeared “to be motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.” She added: “I am grateful to the police and emergency services for their bravery in apprehending the suspect and for their speedy response in attending to the victims. There is no place for hatred and violence against Muslims. I know it is not who we are as a country.” Scottish Government Justice Secretary Neil Gray commented: “These attacks were awful and my thoughts are with those who were injured and affected by them. As Police Scotland have said, there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in Scotland. They have also confirmed that a man has been arrested, there is no threat to the public and their inquiries are ongoing. I encourage anyone with information to contact the police. This was clearly a very serious incident and my thanks go to the emergency services for their bravery and skill in bringing the incident under control.”
Public Appeal
A Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) has been set up to encourage members of the public to submit information directly to officers. Police are appealing to anyone with information that could assist inquiries to upload it using an online form.
