First Minister Issues Apology
First Minister John Swinney has formally apologised to a Dundee girl who was seen brandishing weapons at a Bulgarian man, who was subsequently convicted of assaulting her. This apology follows Swinney's earlier warnings against what he described as "misinformation" surrounding the incident.
A video that went viral showed the 12-year-old girl holding a knife and an axe. The footage attracted attention from notable figures, including Elon Musk, who criticised the girl's arrest, stating she was "trying to defend herself."
Ilia Belov, aged 22, was convicted last week of grabbing and pushing the girl, as well as making sexual remarks to her and her friends during an incident last year.
Commenting on the situation, Swinney said he would "of course" apologise to the girl, explaining that his initial remarks were based on the information available to him at the time.
Police Scotland have acknowledged that their initial statement did not fully represent the circumstances of the case. Initially, it was indicated that no other individuals apart from the girl had been arrested or were wanted in connection with the incident.
Trial and Court Proceedings
The girl's testimony during Belov's trial at Dundee Sheriff Court was described as "eloquent" by Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X and Tesla, had shared a post about the incident in the previous year.
Political Reactions
During First Minister's Questions, Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, raised the issue. He stated:
"The mother of this child, quite rightly, has demanded an apology from the police and from the first minister for her daughter being branded as a liar, right-wing and a racist."
Lord Offord informed MSPs that the girl had been arrested during the incident and was "widely vilified for wielding an axe and a knife" which she had used to "fend off a Bulgarian migrant and his sister."
In response, Swinney said:
"I of course apologise to the young woman and her family concerned."
He further added that "we all deal with the situation as the information presents."
Regarding the information he had at the time, Swinney stated:
"At the time of this particular incident, the information available to me, provided through Police Scotland, led me to the conclusion that I set out."
However, Swinney maintained that he would "make no apology for taking on Elon Musk," expressing his view that the X owner was not "an actor in good faith on these questions."
Public and Police Response
The video of the girl, which was recorded by Belov, was widely circulated and commented on by various public figures, including Musk and far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Initially, Police Scotland stated they were aware of "misinformation" being disseminated online about "an incident where a Bulgarian couple were approached by youths," and that a 12-year-old girl had been charged with possession of a weapon.
Shortly after, Swinney commented:
"Police Scotland have issued a warning about deliberate misinformation that is being used to stoke up fear and alarm in our communities."
He added:
"People like Elon Musk" were trying to "undermine that sense of cohesion within our communities," adding: "It is totally and utterly unacceptable, and Police Scotland are absolutely right to call it out."
Details of Sexual Remarks and Assaults
Ilia Belov was found guilty of making sexual remarks to a group of girls aged between 12 and 14 before grabbing and pushing one of them to the ground.
His sister, Nadjedzha Belova, aged 20, admitted to assaulting a 13-year-old girl by seizing and pulling her hair, dragging her to the ground, and striking her on the head, causing injury during the incident.
The court heard that Belov had said "hello sexy, I'll show you a good time" to the girls while walking past them.
Both individuals are scheduled to be sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court on 5 August.
