Key Points

• Escalation of Gang Warfare: Senior figures within the Lyons crime clan have reportedly ordered fresh machete attacks targeting members and associates of the rival Daniel family across Glasgow.
• Street Gang Involvement: The attacks are understood to be commissioned through Ross McGill’s Tamo Junto (TMJ) gang, acting on behalf of the Lyons leadership.
• Retaliatory Motive: The fresh violence has been ordered as direct retaliation for the double murder of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan in Spain’s Costa del Sol.
• Police Assessments Contradicted: The resurgence of violence comes only weeks after Police Scotland publicly indicated a lull in gangland activity, suggesting a resolution or cessation of active hostilities.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) August 21, 2026 — Glasgow’s long-standing underworld conflict has erupted once more following directives issued by senior leaders of the Lyons crime family, who have ordered a campaign of targeted machete attacks against members of the rival Daniel network.

As reported by law enforcement sources and local crime reporters, figures associated with the Lyons faction have instructed Ross McGill’s Tamo Junto (TMJ) gang to execute street-level strikes against key targets linked to the Daniel family.

Intelligence indicates that this wave of violence is structured as direct revenge for the assassination of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan, both of whom were shot dead in a targeted ambush at Monaghans Bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.

The resurgence in underworld hostilities arrives mere weeks after Police Scotland submitted formal documentation to the Scottish Police Authority noting a “clear and obvious downturn of activity” and implying that the two-decade-long feud had effectively ended or reached a truce.

However, the deployment of young street operatives armed with bladed weapons marks a swift breakdown of that quiet period, restoring heightened anxiety across multiple Glasgow neighbourhoods.

What prompted the latest wave of machete attacks in Glasgow?

The renewed outbreak of violence stems directly from the fatal shootings of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan. The two men were targeted inside an establishment in Fuengirola on 31 May, where a masked gunman opened fire at point-blank range. Eddie Lyons Jr, son of the family’s founder Eddie Lyons Sr, died at the scene, while Ross Monaghan—who had previously been acquitted in 2012 over the high-profile murder of Daniel enforcer Kevin ‘Gerbil’ Carroll—was pursued into the premises and fatally shot.

Following the double murder in Spain, investigative authorities monitored the potential for violent repercussions in Scotland. Senior members within the Lyons leadership structure have now utilised secondary enforcement groups, specifically Ross McGill’s Tamo Junto street gang, to carry out bladed-weapon ambushes against individuals associated with the Daniel family infrastructure.

Why is Ross McGill’s Tamo Junto (TMJ) group being utilized?

The proxy involvement of Ross McGill and the Tamo Junto (TMJ) gang reflects an ongoing operational shift within Scottish organised crime networks. Historically, direct confrontations were handled by primary gang members; however, recent law enforcement operations, international arrests, and encrypted communication breaches such as EncroChat have disrupted senior tiers of both major crime groups.

By commissioning street-level groups like TMJ to carry out targeted machete strikes, senior figures seek to maintain operational distance from violent acts while enforcing revenge commands.

The deployment of younger street gangs armed with bladed weapons creates significant public safety concerns, as these attacks frequently occur in public spaces, residential areas, and commercial precincts during daylight hours.

How does this development contradict Police Scotland’s previous assessment?

In an official update presented to the Scottish Police Authority, Police Scotland reported a marked decrease in serious organised crime incidents, including firebombings and public assaults. Police representatives stated that the downturn was

“without question multi-factorial, including the resolution of differences within the serious and organised crime community”.

The assessment followed an intense operational campaign during which 64 individuals were arrested across Scotland in connection with 84 linked violent incidents, resulting in the recovery of firearms, blades, and the implementation of over 90 safeguarding plans.

The sudden resumption of machete attacks ordered by the Lyons family demonstrates that despite heavy police pressure and high-profile arrests, core grievances between the factions remain unresolved.

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Background of Particular Development

The feud between the Lyons and Daniel crime families traces back over a quarter of a century to 2001, originating over a disputed consignment of cocaine valued at approximately £20,000. The illicit shipment, belonging to the Daniel family—then headed by patriarch Jamie Daniel—was stolen from a property in the Milton area of north Glasgow and subsequently sold by individuals associated with the Lyons clan.

What began as a localized dispute over stolen narcotics escalated into one of the UK’s most violent gang conflicts. Major flashpoints in the feud’s 25-year history include:

• 2006 Appletree Garage Shooting: A public shooting at an MOT garage in Lambhill left Michael Lyons dead and Steven Lyons severely injured.
• 2010 Robroyston Assassination: Daniel family enforcer Kevin ‘Gerbil’ Carroll was executed inside a car parked outside an Asda supermarket in Robroyston.
• 2017 Street War: A string of close-range shootings, run-over attacks, and violent ambushes across Glasgow led to severe prison sentences for multiple senior enforcement figures from both camps.
• International Expansion: Operations shifted internationally to locations including Dubai and the Costa del Sol, where key figures managed trafficking routes and coordinated violent activities remotely.

The murders of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan in Spain were viewed as one of the most severe blows dealt to the Lyons family structure to date, setting the foundation for the current wave of commissioned retaliatory attacks in Scotland.

Prediction: Potential Impact on Key Audiences

The re-ignition of active violence between the Lyons and Daniel gangs is anticipated to carry distinct ramifications across several affected sectors:

The deployment of machete attacks carried out by street-level affiliates like TMJ significantly increases risks to public safety. Because bladed attacks often take place in broad daylight in urban areas, innocent bystanders face heightened danger from mistaken identity or collateral involvement. Local residents in historically affected neighborhoods—such as Milton, Possilpark, and Royston—may experience increased distress, security measures, and disruption to daily life.

Police Scotland will likely be forced to reallocate significant operational resources toward anti-gang task forces, armed response units, and intelligence gathering to contain street-level violence. Emergency medical services and NHS trauma units in the Greater Glasgow region will probably face added burden from treating severe bladed-weapon injuries.

Furthermore, public confidence in police assessments may be impacted following recent official statements indicating the feud had subsided.

Increased police surveillance and rapid intervention measures are expected to yield a surge in arrests involving youth gang members and middle-tier coordinators. This will increase pressure on the Scottish court system and the Scottish Prison Service, which must continuously manage strict security regimes and physical separation protocols to prevent rival gang violence from erupting within correctional facilities.