Dr Zohaib Arshad, a 39-year-old veterinary surgeon and father of two, was attacked on Grahams Road in Falkirk on the evening of July 20. The assault left him with a deep head wound that required five stitches above his eye, and he reported the incident to police.
The former Alba party candidate said three men subjected him to racist abuse, asking when he was going to "go back" to his country, before grabbing him and smashing his head repeatedly against a wall. He was punched several times and threatened with a knife.
I couldn't see
Dr Arshad told the Record: "Blood was everywhere, it was all over the wall. I couldn't see because there was that much dripping into my eyes. One was threatening to kill me and stab me with a knife. He kept saying, 'Do you want me to take the knife out?' There were young girls aged about six around as I was being beaten. I was so scared. I have young kids myself and I couldn't imagine them witnessing that."
The attack is said to have unfolded in front of around 30 witnesses, including young children.
Police response and trip to France
Dr Arshad claims police were called immediately but did not arrive for around 45 minutes. He said one of the alleged attackers remained nearby for around half an hour. He said: "If the police turned up sooner, they could have caught these racists."
The following day he travelled to central France to visit his children, who had been spending the summer with their grandparents, but said he stayed there because he was too frightened to return as quickly as planned. He said: "I didn't feel safe going back home straight away. I have never been in such a rough situation like that before."
He added: "I was so scared when he threatened to take out a knife. I have young kids and I didn't want them growing up without a father."
Family living in fear
Dr Arshad, who stood as an Alba candidate in the 2022 Falkirk Council elections and the 2024 General Election, said he never imagined he would be "attacked because of the colour of his skin". He said his family are now living in fear.
He said: "My kids are terrified. They see me bruised and ask if they are going to be attacked when they return to Scotland for school. I have to reassure them that they are safe."
Far-right protest at Glasgow Green
Dr Arshad spoke out following a far-right protest at Glasgow Green on Saturday, July 25. Around 1,700 people attended the rally organised by Unite the Clans, which clashed with a counter-demonstration arranged by Stand Up To Racism and Women Against The Far Right. Police Scotland have so far arrested 15 people in connection with disorder at the event.
Dr Arshad said he was invited to speak at the counter-demonstration but was unable to attend because he was in France.
Falkirk's anti-immigration protests
The scenes follow months of anti-immigration demonstrations in Falkirk. Protests have repeatedly been held outside the Hotel Cladhan on Kemper Avenue, which is used to house asylum seekers.
In June, Daily Record reported how mother-of-seven Sarah McCabe was left terrified after balaclava-clad anti-immigrant protesters surrounded her car in Falkirk town centre, banged on the vehicle and shouted abuse as she tried to drive home. Another driver, Cherise Williamson, said masked protesters blocked the road before surrounding her vehicle and accusing her of supporting rapists.
The demonstrations followed the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie in Belfast and formed part of a wave of anti-immigration protests across Scotland.
Political reaction and race crime statistics
Dr Arshad said he believes rising anti-immigration tensions are fuelling attacks on minority ethnic communities. He said: "The growing mobs of racists is really worrying. It doesn't feel safe for people of colour walking around in certain places in Falkirk."
He said he now plans to meet with local mosques to reassure worried members of the Muslim community and has sought support from politicians. SNP MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow Martyn Day condemned the alleged attack.
He told the Record: "This was a shocking and cowardly racist assault, and I utterly condemn it. Sadly, this is not the first racist attack in the Falkirk district that has been brought to my attention."
He added: "The rising number of racist incidents is no longer an isolated local concern but a serious national problem across Scotland. We must stand firm that racism, intimidation and violence have no place in our communities."
"Scotland's migrant and minority ethnic communities make an immense contribution to our economy, public services and civic life, and they deserve to live and work here in safety."
Mr Day raised Dr Arshad's case in a motion before the Scottish Parliament on July 28. The motion highlighted that 3,990 charges relating to race crime were reported in Scotland during 2025-26, an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year and the highest figure recorded since 2013-14.
Police statement
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 8.10pm on Monday, 20 July, 2026 police received a report of a disturbance and a man having been assaulted in the Grahams Road area of Falkirk. The victim did not require hospital treatment and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances."
