EDINBURGH — Counter-terrorism police are investigating a series of violent incidents in Edinburgh that injured five people. Police Scotland arrested a 36-year-old white Scottish man in connection with the events and stated there is no further threat to the public.

The five men who sustained injuries were 22, 22, 24, 27, and 39 years old. Three of these men required hospital treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening. Muslim Engagement and Development reported that several of the injured individuals are Muslim.

Officers responded to a report of an incident in the Sighthill area of Edinburgh at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Friday, where two men were injured. The Scottish Association of Mosques stated that two worshippers were attacked in a park after leaving Broomhouse mosque. Police also received reports of incidents around retailers in the west and north of Edinburgh, and stated that three other men were reportedly attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area. Police closed off Leith Walk on Friday evening as the incidents unfolded.

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton addressed the community response. "I want to send a clear message of support to all our communities that there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in a Scotland which is at its best when we stand together. Officers responded to multiple reports of a fast-moving sequence of events across Edinburgh before arresting a man and public safety was our priority. Extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances. We are being supported by counter-terrorism policing and working under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service," Paton said.

A major incident public portal was established to allow the public to submit information to the police. Social media posts appeared to show a shirtless man carrying a long weapon roaming a street and battering a restaurant door in Edinburgh. A video also appeared to show a man on the ground shouting about "protecting the country" while being held by a police officer.

Omar Afzal, Director of Public Affairs for the Scottish Association of Mosques, conveyed the sentiment within Muslim communities. "There is a profound sense of shock, alarm and anger within Muslim communities across Scotland today. These latest attacks are deeply disturbing. However, they do not exist in a vacuum. For years, Muslim communities have warned about the consequences of anti-Muslim hatred becoming normalised in public discourse. When prejudice is left unchallenged, it creates an environment in which some individuals feel emboldened to act on that hatred," Afzal said.