Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, has accused Elon Musk of spreading “misinformation” following an incident in Dundee in which a 12-year-old girl was charged with alleged possession of offensive weapons. Mr Swinney said the billionaire was seeking to “undermine cohesion” in Scottish communities, which he described as “totally and utterly unacceptable”. He condemned what he called “deliberate disinformation” being used to “stoke up fear and alarm” across the country.
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The footage, widely circulated on social media, appeared to show a young girl brandishing weapons. Posts linked to the incident have received millions of views online. Mr Musk, who owns the platform X (formerly Twitter), shared several posts concerning the case, including claims regarding the migrant status of those involved. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson also shared similar material, some of which was later reposted by Mr Musk. The alleged incident took place on St Ann Lane in the Lochee area of Dundee at around 7.40pm last Saturday.
Speaking in Glasgow, the First Minister emphasised that he was limited in what he could say so as not to prejudice ongoing legal proceedings. However, he supported Police Scotland’s decision to warn the public about “deliberate misinformation” linked to the case. “We live in a fundamentally safer country today than we did 40 years ago,” he said, citing recent crime statistics. He added that attempts to spread fear and division were unacceptable and must be challenged.
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Chief Superintendent Nicola Russell, of Police Scotland’s Tayside division, confirmed that a 12-year-old girl had been charged and would be referred to the appropriate authorities. She urged the public not to share misinformation or speculate about the case, thanking the community for its assistance with the investigation. This is not the first time Mr Musk has clashed with Scottish political leaders: earlier this year he was accused by former First Minister Humza Yousaf of seeking to “inflame racial tensions”. Mr Musk has previously engaged in public arguments with Mr Yousaf, once describing him as “super racist” during an online dispute.
