Five people were injured in a series of suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh on Tuesday, with an armed man filmed attacking a pizzeria and assaulting bystanders near a local mosque.
Two victims were hurt in the area close to the mosque in the first incident. The suspect was later captured on video battering the door of a nearby pizzeria as members of the public ran from the scene.
Police Scotland attended the incidents and confirmed an investigation is under way. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the suspect has been taken into custody.
Community leaders condemned the attacks. Scotland’s First Minister described the scenes as “deeply disturbing” and pledged that police resources would be deployed to protect Muslim communities across the country, according to reports reviewed by the Wail.
The incidents follow a period of heightened tension over anti-Muslim sentiment in several UK cities. Police Scotland has not formally confirmed a hate-crime designation, though sources told the Wail investigators are treating the attacks as religiously motivated.
A Police Scotland statement is expected later Tuesday. A full press conference on the investigation is anticipated by Wednesday morning.