The scenes witnessed in Glasgow, Edinburgh and elsewhere this week were deeply troubling. Following a horrific stabbing in Belfast and attempted murder of a man in his forties, protests and disorder quickly spread beyond Northern Ireland and into Scotland. Hundreds gathered in Glasgow city centre, with reports of masked demonstrators, clashes, road closures and a significant police response. Similar demonstrations were reported in Edinburgh, Ayr and Aberdeen.
The Belfast victim suffered severe injuries to his face, back and eyes, and remains in hospital. The individual charged in connection with the attack will now face the justice system, where the evidence will be examined and due process followed.
There is no question the attack itself was horrific. It was a serious and violent crime that should not be tolerated, and it deserves condemnation and full accountability through the legal system.
But what followed raises a deeper and more uncomfortable question.
Why did one alleged crime became a national conversation about migration and fuelled hostility towards entire communities?
The danger of collective blame
In the hours following the attack, public discussion rapidly shifted away from the victim and towards the nationality and immigration status of the accused. Social media accounts, political commentators and anti-migrant activists amplified these details like the non-British billionaire Elon Musk, Restore’s leader Rupert Lowe, Tommy Robinson, and other agitators that called for the deportation of “millions”.
The result was not simply discussion of crime and justice. It rather became a wider narrative about migration itself, with a logic that is not only flawed but dangerous.
This is where the problem begins, because at no point in the justice system do, we normally treat one person’s actions as evidence against an entire group or community.
Every day across the United Kingdom, crimes are committed by people from a wide range of backgrounds, including 20,000 knife assaults in the UK in 2024 – 25. We did not generally hold entire communities responsible and judge millions for the actions of one person. We do not respond to violent crime committed by a UK-born suspect by questioning whether British citizens as a whole pose a threat. We do not respond to male perpetrators of domestic violence by turning it into a national debate about whether men should be restricted as a group.
Yet when the suspect is a migrant or refugee, that principle is abandoned and the conversation often shifts in precisely that direction. From justice to scapegoating, chaos and attacking a whole innocent community.
The purpose of a justice system is accountability. It exists to identify who committed a crime, establish the facts and ensure that the individual responsible faces the ultimate consequences of their actions. Collective punishment has no place in a democratic society.
From seeking justice to burning down communities
Reports from Belfast described homes, vehicles and public transport being attacked, while families reportedly felt forced to leave their homes due to fire and fears for their safety.
Pastor David Latto of the Redeemer Central Church in Belfast stated that residents were being targeted “because they’re black”.
That observation should concern all of us.
When individuals become targets because of their race, nationality, accent or appearance, the issue is no longer public safety. That’s what we call racism ladies and gentlemen; racism is not being “concerned about crime or the safety of a community” but it’s using a single case and treating it as representative of millions of people who share the skin colour or the nationality of the lawbreaker. Even if they had absolutely no connection to the crime that sparked the unrest, they still suffer the consequences as their only connection was being perceived as “other”.
Scotland’s choice
Scotland is not separate from the broader UK information environment. Narratives, fears and assumptions travel quickly, especially in moments of crisis.
In Scotland, demonstrations took place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr, with significant police presence and reports of unrest in city centres.
However, they also reveal something else.
Political leaders, community organisations and ordinary residents were quick to reject attempts to spread hatred.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney stated that the scenes witnessed were “unacceptable”, adding that Scotland is a welcoming nation where those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities. He further stated that “racism, hatred and intimidation have no place in Scotland”.
These statements matter because they reaffirm a principle that should not be controversial – people should be judged by their actions, not by their background or race.
As a society we have our own responsibility to understand:
A society can demand accountability for crime while also refusing racism.
A society can support victims while also protecting innocent communities.
A society can uphold the rule of law without abandoning its values.
The real test of Scotland’s character is not how we respond when things are easy. It is how we respond when fear, anger and uncertainty threaten to divide us.
The events of this week should remind us that justice is individual, but prejudice is collective.
Only one of those belongs in our democratic Scottish society.
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