- Police investigate hate graffiti on Edinburgh mosque.
- Racist slogans found on Leith-based Islamic centre walls.
- Incident reported early January 17, 2026 morning.
- Mosque officials condemn act as Islamophobic attack.
Edinburgh (Edinburgh Daily News) January 17, 2026 – Police in Edinburgh have launched a probe into an incident of hate graffiti discovered at a prominent mosque in the Leith area, prompting swift condemnation from local Muslim leaders and authorities. The vandalism, featuring inflammatory racist slogans, was reported shortly after dawn on Saturday, marking a troubling escalation in anti-Muslim sentiment amid broader UK concerns over hate crimes. Officers from Police Scotland cordoned off the site as forensic teams began gathering evidence, with community figures calling for public vigilance.
What happened at the Edinburgh mosque?
The attack targeted the Edinburgh Central Mosque, a key community hub in Leith known for its outreach programmes and interfaith initiatives. As reported by Euan McLean of The Scotsman, the graffiti included bold, anti-Islamic messages scrawled in red spray paint across the main entrance and boundary walls, visible to early morning worshippers.
“We arrived for Fajr prayer and saw the disgusting messages calling for us to ‘go home’ and worse,”
stated Imam Khalid Mahmood, the mosque’s spiritual leader, in an on-site interview with STV News.
Police Scotland confirmed the incident in an official statement released at 10:30 AM, classifying it as a hate crime under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. According to Detective Inspector Rachel McEwan of the Leith Divisional Policing Command,
“This is a despicable act of vandalism motivated by religious prejudice, and we are treating it with the utmost seriousness.”
Early assessments suggest the graffiti was applied between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM, based on security footage timestamps shared exclusively with BBC Scotland by mosque treasurer Aisha Rahman.
When was the graffiti discovered?
The discovery unfolded around 5:15 AM when regular worshippers arriving for dawn prayers noticed the damage. Sarah Jenkins of Edinburgh Evening News detailed how “a group of five men in their 20s, who pray there daily, immediately alerted the imam and dialled 999,” preventing further escalation. By 6:00 AM, uniform officers had secured the perimeter, with specialist hate crime units arriving within the hour.
As covered by Fiona Lambert of STV News, the mosque’s CCTV captured shadowy figures in dark clothing approaching the site at approximately 3:45 AM, lingering for under ten minutes.
“The footage shows two individuals, possibly more, working quickly with cans that glint under streetlights,”
Ms Rahman told reporters, emphasising the premeditated nature of the act. Police have appealed for dashcam footage from nearby roads, including Great Junction Street.
Who is leading the investigation?
Police Scotland’s Leith team, supported by the force’s Hate Crime Investigation Unit, heads the probe. Chief Inspector Brian Hennigan, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh North, addressed a press gathering outside the mosque at midday.
“We have identified potential suspects from initial inquiries and are following several leads, including witness statements from night-shift workers nearby,”
he said, as quoted by Martin Bagot of Daily Record.
The case draws on expertise from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), which oversees hate crime prosecutions. Community Safety Minister Siobhan Brown issued a statement via the Scottish Government website, pledging “zero tolerance for such bigotry,” and announced additional funding for mosque security upgrades. Local MSP Ben Macpherson (SNP) visited the site, vowing cross-party support.
Why is this incident significant?
This event occurs against a backdrop of rising Islamophobic incidents across Scotland, with Police Scotland recording a 15% uptick in religious hate crimes in 2025. As analysed by Neil Pooran of The National, “Leith’s diverse population makes it a flashpoint, echoing similar attacks in Glasgow and Dundee last autumn.” Mosque officials linked it to online rhetoric following recent Middle East tensions, though no group has claimed responsibility.
Tell Mama, the UK’s leading hate crime monitor, reported a national spike in anti-Muslim vandalism post-2025 global events.
“Edinburgh Central Mosque has been targeted before, but this is the most overt since 2022,”
said director Imran Mahmud in a phone interview with Sky News Scotland. The incident has galvanised interfaith groups, with the Church of Scotland and Edinburgh Jewish Community issuing joint solidarity messages.
How has the community responded?
Leith residents rallied quickly, with over 50 volunteers aiding cleanup efforts by noon.
“We won’t let hate divide us; this mosque serves everyone,”
declared local shopkeeper Raj Patel to Edinburgh Live’s Amy Walker. A candlelit vigil is planned for 6:00 PM outside the mosque, organised by the Leith Muslim Association.
Political figures across the spectrum condemned the act. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay tweeted,
“No place for this poison in modern Scotland,”
while Labour’s Anas Sarwar called it “a direct assault on our multicultural values.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s office released a statement:
“The whole country stands with Edinburgh’s Muslim community against this cowardice.”
What measures are police taking?
Forensic analysis of paint residue and fingerprints is underway at Police Scotland’s Howden lab. DI McEwan confirmed “door-to-door inquiries in a half-mile radius and analysis of 72 hours of CCTV from 15 local businesses.” Public tips are sought via Crimestoppers, with a £500 reward offered anonymously.
Enhanced patrols have been deployed around all Edinburgh faith sites, per a multi-agency protocol involving the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for potential arson risks.
“We’re reviewing intelligence on far-right activity in the area,”
a source close to the investigation told The Herald’s Graham Grant, speaking off-record.
Has this happened before at the mosque?
Edinburgh Central Mosque has faced prior incidents, including a 2023 egg-throwing episode and anonymous threats in 2024. “Security has been heightened since then, with new bollards and lighting, yet perpetrators adapt,” Imam Mahmood noted to Channel 4 News’ Siobhan Kennedy. Historical data from Police Scotland shows Leith reporting 22 hate crimes in Q4 2025 alone.
Comparatively, a near-identical graffiti attack struck Glasgow Central Mosque on December 28, 2025, leading to two arrests. “Patterns suggest copycat behaviour amplified by social media,” warned Professor Alison Phipps of Glasgow University in The Times Scotland.
Will there be prosecutions and prevention?
The COPFS prioritises swift charging, with interim interdicts possible against repeat offenders. “If identified, expect maximum penalties under the 2021 Act—up to seven years,” solicitor Eilidh Young told BBC Radio Scotland. Community funding bids target AI-monitored CCTV and rapid-response apps.
Long-term, the Scottish Parliament debates enhanced powers this spring. MSP Macpherson proposes “mandatory hate crime education in curricula,” as lobbied to Holyrood Magazine. Neighbours’ unity signals resilience, but experts urge sustained vigilance.
This comprehensive coverage draws from on-the-ground reporting across Scotland’s media landscape, ensuring factual neutrality and full attribution. The probe continues, with updates expected imminently.
