Edinburgh’s political and faith leaders are to hold an emergency summit following a series of suspected anti-Muslim attacks in the city last week.
City of Edinburgh councillors passed a motion condemning the attacks and pledging to work together to prevent future incidents.
SNP group leader Lesley Macinnes told councillors: “The capital has a proud tradition of welcoming people from around the world.
“I am angry. I am bloody furious. We have been betrayed by those individuals who act like that, who go on our streets and act that way.
“We must resist the racist rhetoric, the right wing rhetoric that has become so prevalent on our social media and mainstream media.”
She added: “This is not something we should be sitting back and ignoring - it is not something we should feel comfortable with - the results of that turned up on our streets on Friday.
“We have been betrayed by those who act like that, who use that language.”
Lewis Hawkes, 36, appeared in court on Monday and was charged with five counts of attempted murder “aggravated by reason of having a terrorist connection”.
Two men were injured in the Sighthill area of Edinburgh around 8.50 pm on Friday, while three other men were allegedly attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area.
Councillor Edward Thornley of the Liberal Democrats added: “I am devastated and deeply worried… I am also bloody furious. We have had to do this too many times. The entire city was horrified by the attacks on Friday.”
Scottish Conservative councillor Iain Whyte said: “I want to thank Police Scotland and the officers who dealt with the incidents on Friday night.
“We support everything in the actions that are being taken here, because we have to make sure that our communities in Edinburgh feel safe following those incidents. That duty is on all of us.
He added: “If we want to ease tension, we have to find ways of talking to people, whoever those people are. We must still be able to talk about immigration and its effects with communities who have fears of it.
“We need to find ways of involving people so those differences feel less and people feel they have a cohesive community.
“I believe we are a very cohesive city, that the vast vast majority of people will save no to racism and hate.”
A video posted online on Friday showed a bare-chested white man roaming the streets with a large weapon, while another video showed a man kicking the door of a pizzeria.
The composite motion reads: “Council proposes an emergency meeting be arranged bringing together appropriate faith based and voluntary sector organisations to discuss the best way forward to ensure that we avoid a repeat of these attacks on the streets of Edinburgh and that all residents of the city can live in peace together and without fear of violence and abuse.”
It also asks council officers to create a reporting scheme to assist people in “urgently raising issues around racist incidents such as graffiti and posters”.
The details of the meeting will be discussed on Friday at a meeting of the Community Cohesion Working Group.
Labour councillor Mandy Watt remarked: “We have heard today and quite rightly so from councillors who are so angry about what happened. But there’s no point being angry unless you can change anger into energy and energy into action.
“We have heard politicians call for rage and anger and that certainly isn’t where I am coming from.”
Her party colleague Katrina Faccenda, who represents Leith, added: “My ward hosts a number of places of worship which are frequented by people of different faiths.
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“The people who are a part of these communities are reporting the rise of behaviour which was previously seen as unacceptable for quite a long time.
“We have to use our platform and take responsibility and apply absolutely zero tolerance to the behavior we saw recently. Words are just words, actions are more important.”
The motion was agreed unanimously.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a number of incidents which took place in Edinburgh on Friday, 19 June, 2026.
“A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
