Police charge man after suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says ‘the fishy appears to beryllium motivated by anti-Muslim hatred’.

Police successful Scotland person charged a antheral successful transportation with a bid of attacks successful Edinburgh that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said appeared to beryllium motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.

Police said connected Saturday that a 36-year-old Scottish antheral had been arrested connected Friday and “charged successful transportation with a fig of incidents which took spot successful Edinburgh connected Friday, 19 June, 2026”. Five men were wounded successful the attacks.

Footage posted online showed a bare-chested antheral roaming the streets of Edinburgh with a ample weapon, portion different clip seems to amusement a antheral battering the doorway of a pizzeria.

Another video appeared to amusement a shirtless antheral connected the crushed shouting that helium is “protecting the country” arsenic helium is held by an officer.

Police were called connected Friday evening to a study of an incidental successful the Sighthill country of the city, wherever 2 men were injured.

Police said they past received reports astir incidents astir retailers crossed the westbound and northbound of the city.

The unit said that during this period, 3 different men were allegedly attacked successful the Telford Road and Leith Walk area.

The victims, aged betwixt 22 and 39, suffered assorted injuries, with 3 requiring infirmary attraction for wounds not considered life-threatening, constabulary said.

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said it was a “shocking” incident.

“I privation to nonstop a wide connection of enactment to each our communities that determination is nary spot for racism oregon faith-based hatred successful Scotland, which is astatine its champion erstwhile we basal together,” she said.

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer looks connected arsenic helium speaks to the members of the media connected the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, successful France, June 17, 2026 [File: Isabel Infantes/Pool via Reuters]

“The fishy appears to beryllium motivated by anti-Muslim hatred. I volition not tolerate this – helium volition look afloat unit of the law,” Starmer said.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney besides condemned the unit successful an online station connected X, saying: “I americium profoundly acrophobic by these incidents. There is nary spot for violence, racism oregon intolerance successful our country. I met assemblage groups past week to guarantee them of the beardown enactment of the Government.”

The Scottish Association of Mosques said 2 of the victims were attacked aft prayers, portion the Muslim Council of Britain said the assemblage was “rightly anxious” and criticised “political rhetoric that demonises an full community”.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that she was “horrified by quality of the onslaught successful Edinburgh.

“There is nary spot for hatred and unit against Muslims,” she said. “I cognize it is not who we are arsenic a country.”