Man charged after suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh
BBC News 2026-06-20 23:17:05
Context: A series of suspected anti-Muslim attacks occurred in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Friday, leaving five men injured and prompting a 36-year-old man to be charged in connection with the incidents. The attacks began near a mosque in the west of the city and continued at various locations, including a petrol station and a pizzeria, before the suspect was detained by police. The incidents have been widely condemned by Scottish leaders and community groups.
Key Facts
- A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a number of incidents that took place on Friday in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will appear in court in due course.
- The attacks, which began near the Broomhouse mosque in the west of Edinburgh, left five men injured, with ages 22, 22, 24, 27, and 39, and none of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening.
- Footage posted on social media appears to show a bare-chested man carrying a large weapon vandalising a petrol station and battering the door of a pizzeria on Leith Walk before being held on the ground by police.
- Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attacks, saying the suspect appeared to be motivated by "anti-Muslim hatred", and adding that his thoughts were with those who were injured and that he thanked the police and emergency services for their response.
- Police Scotland said they had responded to a "fast-moving sequence of events" after being called at about 20:50, and that extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the incidents.