Man charged after suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Scottish capital
A man has been charged by Scottish police after a series of suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh, Scotland, that left five people injured.
Authorities said on Saturday that counterterrorism police have taken over an investigation into suspected anti-Muslim violence in the Scottish capital.
Local media reported the attacks began near a mosque where the perpetrator attacked Muslim worshipers before moving on to other parts of the city.
Footage posted on social media showed a shirtless middle-aged man carrying a machete walking down a street before being apprehended by police while telling them, "I am protecting the country" from the Muslims, "enough is enough."
Police said three of the victims required hospital treatment, but none of the injuries were life-threatening.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attacks, saying the perpetrator appeared to be agitated by "anti-Muslim hatred."
"My thoughts are with those who are injured, and I thank the police and the emergency services for their response," Starmer wrote on X.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said he was "deeply concerned" by the terror attacks.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton called for calm, saying "there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in Scotland."
The attacks follow a broader pattern of unrest across the UK, where tensions over immigration and multiculturalism remain elevated as far-right groups seeking votes in local elections have been stoking anti-migrant and anti-Muslim sentiment in recent years.
Several groups representing Muslim communities have condemned the attacks.
UK-based non-profit group, Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), urged police to "treat this as what the evidence indicates: Islamophobic, far-right terror."
The Muslim Council of Britain said the Muslim community is "rightly nervous and worried."
A spokesperson said: "This incident comes not long after racist pogroms on the streets of Belfast that targeted minority families, and is a direct consequence of political rhetoric that demonises entire communities.
"To our community: stay vigilant, look out for one another, and please report any Islamophobic hate crimes to the police."
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