An immigrant has said he is "scared" to return to his home in North Lanarkshire after his front door was deliberately set on fire. Omar Ben Othmen, 33, was woken by banging at his door before realising his home in Kilsyth was ablaze on Friday, June 12.
Omar, who moved to the town from Tunisia in 2019, was forced to climb out of a window of his ground-floor flat to escape and suffered leg injuries. He claims a bin had also been set alight and pushed in front of his door to block his exit. He says he has been forced to sleep in his car as he fears further attacks.
He told Glasgow Live: "It's not safe. I'm scared. I thought if I went back, maybe it will happen again. I have zero issues with anyone, I just keep myself to myself."
Ordeal described
Describing the ordeal, he said: "I was sleeping and heard a banging but just thought the neighbours were fighting. I then smelled smoke and jumped out of bed. I panicked when I saw the fire at the main door. I couldn't open the door to get out." The glass panels on his door had also been smashed, he said.
Context of rising tensions
The incident comes after a protest in Glasgow city centre on June 9 where police said people were "attacked because of the colour of their skin". Five people, including two officers, were injured, and three men were arrested. Violence broke out after the murder of Henry Nowak, who was killed by Sikh man Vickrum Digwa in December, and an alleged violent knife attack in Belfast, over which a Sudanese national has been charged.
Despite the rise in anti-immigration rhetoric in Glasgow, Omar still believes in the welcoming attitudes of the Scots. He said: "You cannot judge all the people for one thing. The Scots are very very friendly people, and welcoming. Some people think we shouldn't have immigrants, but I believe people should be there for each other and help each other."
Police investigation
Police Scotland is treating the fire at Omar's home as wilful, but a link between the incident and his immigration status has not been confirmed. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are investigating a wilful fire outside a property in Low Craigends, Kilsyth, which occurred at 3am on Friday, 12 June, 2026. Nobody was injured during the incident and enquiries are ongoing." The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has been contacted for comment.
