Edinburgh woman warns 'it was like something out of Adolescence' as boys 'target her'

Edinburgh Live

6 days ago

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An Edinburgh woman has recalled the horrifying moment she was targeted by youths with sickening racist abuse.
Emily Yao was unlocking her bike with her two friends at Potterow at around 10pm on Tuesday night, when two young boys on e-scooters raced towards them. She then claimed they hurled abuse at the trio, including calling them 'Chinese f*****s'.
Emily, who has lived in the capital since the pandemic and was born in China, said she has never once felt unsafe in the city before now. During the incident she attempted to film the two youths, who she believed are around 11-years-old, on her phone.
In one clip, she can be heard asking: "Do you want me to feel threatened?"
Emily told us the 'sinister' incident reminded her of the Netflix show Adolescence, particularly of a scene where the main character asks his therapist if he scared her. She feels the youths may have a 'hatred of women', after they called her group 'b*****s several times.
Police Scotland officers are now investigating the incident with inquiries 'ongoing'. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Emily said: "Suddenly we heard a kind of howling sound, like an animal, from behind.
"We saw someone racing towards us on a scooter, and just as he was about to hit us he swirled around. We were a little bit shocked, and then, he and a mate of him and just started to say things like Chinese f*****s, f*** off.
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"I just took out my phone and started filming them and trying to get a clear shot of their face, but I couldn't quite get them. I was trying to get them to come back and to, I asked them, can you repeat what you just said to me on tape?
'When I gave up and turned around, they would then follow me and then race towards me again. Then they would start hurling racial comments at me again."
Emily said the two youths called her group 'b*****s several times during the incident. She continued: "He asked me 'do you feel threatened?' so I asked him 'do you think I should be? Do you want me to feel threatened?
"The whole encounter was just so sinister. I was kind of embarrassed that I was frightened by what looks like an 11 or 12-year-old.
"I think the thing that makes it a bit different is that they seem to only target Asian women. The whole thing reminded me of Adolescence, that Netflix show, especially when he asked me the question, do you feel threatened?
"It just took me right back to the show where the boy asked the psychologist if he scared her. It's really weird, and the fact that they are targeting women. It makes you wonder if it's because they actually do have a hatred of women, I mean they were calling us b*****s the whole times."
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Having lived in Edinburgh for several years now, Emily said she has previously told people that the UK is where she feels the most safe. She added: "I've never felt unsafe before this. I would tell people that I've never really experienced anything kind of almost like racial or even aggressive.
"Of course there is the occasional teenager just kind of like, whistling at you and stuff like that, but I've never received any attacks like this and never really felt unsafe. My husband and I have lived around the world, and I would always tell people I feel the safest in the UK.
"I feel least racially discriminated here, apart from my own country. I never really think about race as something. I don't think race is ever something like top of my mind, really, until this very event where I'm obviously racially targeted.
'When I was looking at the videos, I did feel a kind of anxiety. I wouldn't say I would avoid those areas just because I don't want it to limit me in any way. He wants me to feel threatened, and I won't let him."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "An investigation is under way following a report of racial abuse. The incident occurred around 10pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025 on Charles Street in Edinburgh, when two youths on bikes approached three women and shouted abusive comments at them. Enquiries are ongoing."