Man, 36, appears in court charged with five counts of attempted murder after Edinburgh attacks
A man appeared in court charged with five counts of attempted murder “aggravated by his terrorist affiliation” following a series of attacks in Edinburgh on Friday.
Lewis Hawkes, 36, of Edinburgh, was also charged with one count of assault and robbery, two counts of breach of peace and two counts of culpable and reckless conduct.
The Crown Office said all of the above were aggravated by the terrorism link.
Anti-terrorism teams were dispatched to investigate the attacks in which 5 people were injured across the city.
The attacks are suspected to be anti-Muslim motivated.
Hawkes did not enter a plea at a private hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.
He was subjected to further examination and was detained before appearing in court again in eight days.
Officers were first called to reports of an incident in which two people were injured in the Sighthill area at around 8.50pm on Friday.
Three more people were later allegedly attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk areas of the capital, police said.
Police said two 22-year-old men and others aged 24, 27 and 39 suffered various injuries and three required hospital treatment, but none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The organization called Muslim Participation and Development (Mend) said that many of those injured were Muslims.
Footage posted online showed a bare-chested white man wandering the streets of Edinburgh with a large gun, while another clip showed a man pounding on the door of a pizzeria.
As the events unfolded, police closed Leith Walk on Friday evening and another video emerged showing a shirtless man on the ground shouting he was “protecting the country” as he was held down by a police officer.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said in a post about X that he was “deeply concerned” by these events.
“There is no place for violence, racism or intolerance in our country,” he wrote.
“I met with community groups last week and reassured them of the Government’s strong support.”
Speaking to the Press Association on Monday, he said he wanted to send a message of “solidarity, sympathy and empathy” to those affected, as well as the wider Muslim community in Scotland.
Superintendent Neil Wilson of Police Scotland said concerns may have been “increased” following the alleged attacks.
He said: “It is important that all communities in Scotland feel supported, protected and can go about their daily lives without fear of hatred or intimidation.”
He added: “We are conducting a community impact assessment and will monitor the situation closely to ensure the safety and well-being of all communities and stand ready to respond promptly to any issues that arise.”
