A MOSQUE in Edinburgh has been the target of misinformation online with a video going viral claiming “everyone” in Scotland is “forced to listen” to an Islamic call to prayer.
A video was posted on Twitter/X of the Edinburgh Central Mosque, found on Potterrow, which had been dubbed over by an audio file of an Islamic call to prayer. An account called RadioGenoa shared the video to its 1 million followers in early October.
The anonymous page, which shares racist content targeting minority groups, wrote: "In Edinburgh, Scotland, everyone is forced to listen to Islamic call to prayer. This is violence."
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At the time of writing, the video had been viewed more than 1.6m times.
Several users on the platform questioned the videos authenticity, however many believed it to be true.
One person wrote, “This is really happening?? I can’t believe it!!”, and others called for the mosque to be “torn down”. The mosque was established in 1998 and is a registered charity.
Scots came to the mosque’s defence, debunking the fake video and recommending the Mosque Kitchen, an Indian and Middle Eastern restaurant, which operates in the building.
The chair of Welfare Scotland Rob McDowall said the “doctored video” only intended to “perpetuate hatred and scorn directed towards Muslims”.
He added: “This is the type of bullsh*t this app perpetuates when it boosts these posts across the platform. There is no loud call to prayer broadcast from this mosque.”
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Twitter/X user Cameron Wilson replied to the video: “Bullsh*t, I worked in the area for years and never once heard anything.
“What I did hear was the free food they provided for any religion at this mosque was great and the Mosque Kitchen is incredible. Stop taking news about Scotland from people who have never stepped foot here.”
SNP councillor Finlay MacFarlane also said: “As an alternative to this racist sh*te - why not try out the Mosque Kitchen? Amazing value and increeeedible food!”
Another user posted: “They shouldn’t be able to just tweet out this total lie to a million followers that is right next door to where I went to uni and not once have I ever heard that, it's been dubbed over the video.”
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