Police make arrest after sickening footage of cyclist slammed to ground by driver goes viral

Police in Edinburgh have this morning confirmed a 37-year-old man has been "arrested and charged with alleged assault" following an incident in the city on Friday evening, video of which went viral on social media and showed the moment a cyclist was thrown to the ground by a driver who slammed the victim's head against the road.

The video, which has been viewed more than 26 million times on X/Twitter over the weekend, shows the incident in Edinburgh's Old Town at just before half six on Friday (September 20), a cyclist seen stood in front of a vehicle as its passenger remonstrates with him.

A male driver, is then seen getting out of the vehicle, before walking up to the cyclist and grabbing both hands around the neck before slamming the rider off his bike and hitting his head against the road.

WARNING: Viewer discretion advised

Does anyone know this man? pic.twitter.com/x1GH2pXj28

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) September 20, 2024

Afterwards, the passenger and driver returned to the vehicle, which had a learner plate in the front windscreen, while the cyclist was seen holding his head and lying motionless in the road.

It has been reported the incident happened on High School Wynd, Google Street View images appearing to suggest it was at this junction where the side road turns onto Cowgate.

When we contacted Police Scotland asking for an update to the investigation, a spokesperson confirmed a 37-year-old man has now been "arrested and charged with the alleged assault of a 34-year-old male cyclist", and he is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday 23 September).

The force had previously said over the weekend that "positive lines of enquiry" were being followed and that the victim was taken to hospital "to be checked over".

"Around 6.25pm on Friday, 20 September, 2024, we received a report of a male cyclist being assaulted during an altercation with the male driver of a car in High School Wynd, Edinburgh," a Police Scotland spokesperson commented.

"The 34-year-old victim was taken to hospital to be checked over."

The footage was widely shared on social media this weekend, posts on Twitter and Reddit asking, "Does anybody knows this man?" One such post has been viewed more than 26 million times, another being watched more than six million times.

BBC and Channel 5 broadcaster Jeremy Vine also shared the footage with his followers, writing: "Please — this man must be found."

Please note comments are closed on this story.