Taxi and Uber rider targeted in suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh, say witnesses

Eren, originally from north London, said he had run Best Kebab House for 20 years and had never witnessed this level of violence in the area. “I love Leith, man,” he said. “I have come across lots of fights, but nothing like that.”

The alleged assailant was detained by police carrying stun guns; Eren said that as the police arrived the suspect allegedly threw the blade away, dropped to the ground and put his hands behind his head before laying down on the road, and did not resist arrest.

Footage on social media appeared to record him shouting he was “protecting the country”.

Another local man, Kenny, 53, who declined to give his full name, said he saw the police restraining the suspect on the road. “Everyone is a bit befuddled by it,” he said. “It’s a very nicely integrated community. There’s the problem with drugs – going back to the 80s – but they’re mostly harmless … it’s very multinational. People from all sorts of countries and backgrounds around here.”

Ava, 22, who works in Origano’s sister restaurant nearby and is originally from Leeds, said: “As a woman of colour, it’s scary seeing the way hatred has been whipped up. Everything that has been happening in Belfast and Southport, the level of comfortability that these people have expressing rightwing and horrendous racist views.”

Police Scotland said it received initial reports of two men being injured in the Sighthill area near Broomhouse mosque, both of whom were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Three men were then injured in Telford Road at Crewe Toll, also in the west of the city, and then on Leith Walk.

Footage from west Edinburgh also showed another minicab allegedly attacked during the incident. A further incident was reported at Craigleith in northern Edinburgh, where a driver allegedly hit a food courier on their bike, before chasing them with a large blade.

John Swinney will meet members of Edinburgh’s Muslim community on Monday. “There is no place for race-based or faith-based violence in Scotland,” the first minister said on Sunday. “My thoughts are with all who have been impacted – the victims but also the communities who are understandably [made] anxious by what happened.”

The first minister, John Swinney, said his government would fight against ‘violence, division and prejudice’. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Swinney said people must “stand united in utter condemnation” of the “heinous” attacks. He said allegations of anti-Muslim hatred were “abhorrent”, adding: “We must not allow recent attempts to stoke fear to divide us.

“Everyone who lives in Scotland – those that were born here and those that have decided to make Scotland their home – epitomise Scotland’s values of hope, tolerance and solidarity. These are values that must be cherished, nurtured and protected. We must all come together to ensure that.

“I want to reassure communities that my government will lead from the front in tackling all forms of violence, division and prejudice.”

Ben Macpherson, the Scottish National party MSP for Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith, said: “What happened on Friday was really shocking and our thoughts are with the people who were hurt [but] Leith is a place of pluralism and different nationalities, ethnicities, religions, we’re not going to let this situation disrupt that or distract from that.”

Kate Nevens, a Scottish Greens MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, said: “I love this neighbourhood, it has so much love and generosity of spirit. Obviously this is a horrible thing to have happened anywhere, but it does really feel like it’s hitting at the heart of Edinburgh.”