A 36-year-old Scottish man has been charged after a series of stabbing attacks across Edinburgh on Friday evening left five men injured, several of them reportedly Muslims. Counter-terrorism officers were brought into the investigation within hours as authorities examined what police and Muslim community leaders described as a suspected anti-Muslim attack.
The attacks unfolded across multiple locations, including Sighthill, Telford Road, and Leith Walk. According to Muslim organizations, at least some of the victims had recently left the Broomhouse Mosque when they were attacked. Three of the five victims required hospital treatment, although none suffered life-threatening injuries.
Videos circulating online appeared to show the suspect carrying a large bladed weapon before being arrested by police. According to footage circulating on social media, the suspect shouted during the arrest that he was ‘protecting the country from these f*cking Muslim bastards raping our young daughters’.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quick to react, condemning the attack as motivated by ‘anti-Muslim hatred’, a statement echoed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The Scottish Association of Mosques, MEND Scotland, and the Muslim Council of Britain likewise condemned the attack and warned of ‘rising anti-Muslim hostility’.
The immediate reaction from the Labour government, and the fact that authorities rapidly labelled the case a suspected terrorist attack and began investigating it as such, has already sparked harsh criticism from right-wing circles and added fuel to the already tense atmosphere in the United Kingdom surrounding migration and violent crimes committed by migrants.
Critics compared the case to the Edinburgh stabbing attack three months ago, committed by a migrant, in which authorities immediately ruled out a terrorist motive and stated that the suspect was mentally ill. Similar comparisons were made with previous incidents, such as the 2020 Glasgow hotel stabbing carried out by a Sudanese asylum seeker, which was not initially treated as terrorism despite involving multiple victims.
The case has also drawn comparisons with the murder of British teenager Henry Nowak, whose death and its controversial circumstances sparked widespread public anger. However, mainstream media and politicians, including Starmer, remained silent on the case for more than two weeks, and when he eventually responded, the prime minister blamed ‘far-right agitators’ for exploiting the public outrage. Compared with the immediate and highly emotional reaction to the current attack, many have argued that the government and authorities apply a double standard and a two-tier approach, prioritizing Muslims over white British citizens.
Police Scotland has confirmed that the suspect has been charged and that a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. Counter-terrorism officers remain involved in the investigation, which is continuing under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Authorities are also reviewing CCTV footage, witness testimony, and material circulating on social media as they seek to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the attacks.
The suspect is expected to appear before a Scottish court following the submission of the case to prosecutors.
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