Five injured in suspected axe attacks near Edinburgh mosque (VIDEOS)

Five men have been injured in a series of suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh after an armed man was seen moving through the city, according to police and local media reports.

A 36-year-old white man has been arrested following what Police Scotland described as a “fast-moving sequence of events” on Friday night. Counter-terrorism officers have joined local police in the investigation, according to the BBC.

The attacks reportedly began near a mosque in Broomhouse, in the west of the city, where two men were injured and taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Three other men were attacked on Telford Road and Leith Walk, police said, adding that “there is no further risk to the public.” 

Footage circulating on social media appeared to show a bare-chested man carrying a large weapon and causing damage at several locations. 

According to media reports, after the arrest the man said he was “protecting the country from these f***ing Muslim bastards raping our young daughters.” 

The attacks came against the backdrop of a report released by Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe that revealed predominantly Pakistani men had raped and abused large numbers of mostly white British girls across almost half of the UK’s municipalities over several decades. The findings triggered a nationwide backlash and reignited debate over immigration, policing and the authorities’ handling of child sexual exploitation cases.

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton called the incident a “shocking attack” and said there was “no place for racism or faith-based hate in Scotland.”

MEND Scotland, a Muslim engagement group, said several of the victims were from the Muslim community.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney also commented, saying that he was “deeply concerned” and that there was “no place for violence, racism or intolerance” in the country.