LONDON: Scottish police have charged a 36-year-old man in connection with a series of violent attacks in Edinburgh that left five people injured, as authorities investigate the incidents as potential terrorism motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.
Police Scotland said on Saturday that the suspect, a white Scottish man, had been arrested following multiple attacks across the city on Friday night and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
“A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a number of incidents which took place in Edinburgh on Friday, 19 June, 2026,” Police Scotland said in a statement. Authorities added that a report had been submitted to prosecutors and the suspect would appear in court at a later date.
The attacks prompted condemnation from senior political leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said preliminary information suggested the suspect had targeted victims because of their faith.
“Absolutely appalling,” Starmer wrote on X. “The suspect appears to be motivated by anti-Muslim hatred. I will not tolerate this — he will face the full force of the law.”
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney also condemned the violence, saying there was “no place for violence, racism or intolerance” in the country.
Police said officers received multiple emergency calls reporting violent incidents, including assaults, threats, robbery and vandalism, across Edinburgh. Five men aged 22, 22, 24, 27 and 39 sustained injuries during the attacks. Three victims were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is being led by counter-terrorism officers alongside Police Scotland detectives.
According to police, the attacks began in western Edinburgh, where two men were injured and later hospitalized. Three additional victims were assaulted at separate locations before officers located and arrested the suspect.
British media reported that the initial attack may have occurred near a mosque.
Video footage circulated on social media appeared to show a shirtless man carrying a large weapon through the streets of Edinburgh. Authorities have not publicly confirmed details of the footage but are examining evidence as part of the investigation.
The Scottish Association of Mosques and the anti-Islamophobia advocacy group Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) said several of the victims were Muslims. MEND urged authorities to treat the case as an act of Islamophobic far-right terrorism, citing videos allegedly showing the suspect making anti-Muslim remarks.
The attacks come amid heightened tensions over immigration and community relations in the United Kingdom. Recent weeks have seen several incidents of unrest and demonstrations linked to immigration-related issues, raising concerns among officials and community leaders about the growth of extremist rhetoric and anti-minority sentiment.
Police said inquiries remain ongoing.