A statement from the force said they “would urge the public not to share misinformation about this incident or speculate on the circumstances”.
19:04, 27 Aug 2025Updated 19:17, 27 Aug 2025
The girl has been charged
Police Scotland confirmed they are aware of misinformation circulating online following an incident involving a knife in Dundee.
A statement from the force said on Saturday August 23 a child allegedly approached a Bulgarian before a 12-year-old girl involved was charged with being in possession of offensive weapons.
It sparked a number of social media posts claiming the girl and her friends had earlier been accosted by two people, with several posts making reference to the supposed ethnicity of the accused pair.
Then on Tuesday August 26, Elon Musk – who has a following of nearly 225 million on X, formerly known as Twitter – reposted an allegation about the girl being recorded by “a migrant”.
(Image: ALLISON ROBBERT, AFP via Getty Images)
The post also repeated sections of local news coverage of the incident which had no mention of race or immigration status.
Police have warned the public not to share misinformation about the incident or speculate on the circumstances.
Chief Superintendent Nicola Russell said: “We are aware of misinformation being shared on social media in relation to an incident where a Bulgarian couple were approached by youths in St Ann Lane, Dundee, on Saturday, 23 August, 2025.
“A 12-year-old girl has been charged with being in possession of offensive weapons. She will be referred to the relevant authorities and our enquiries are ongoing.
“We would like to thank the local community for their help with our investigation and would urge the public not to share misinformation about this incident or speculate on the circumstances.”
Nadia El-Nakla
It comes as Musk was called out by local councillor Nadia El-Nakla, and wife of ex-First Minister Humza Yousaf, for the irresponsible nature of spreading misinformation.
The councillor for Dundee’s West End told the Courier: “This is deeply concerning for many reasons. Everyone has the right to feel safe in our streets. Carrying a knife is a crime, and we must uphold a policy of zero tolerance towards knife crime.
“It is also clear that elements of the far right are attempting to hijack this incident to spread a racist, anti-immigration agenda.
“This is both dangerous and divisive, and it threatens the cohesion of our communities. Here in Dundee, we will not allow this to take root. The facts of the incident have been provided by our police service.
“These should be trusted — not the disinformation being pushed by those who wish to vilify asylum seekers and immigrants.”
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