'Despicable' Halloween attacks on buses and police condemned as alert issued for more violence

​Violent attacks on police have become almost an "anniversary" event in Edinburgh around Bonfire Night, a senior officer has said, as the disorder was described as “despicable”.

Chief Superintendent David Robertson said the police would leave "no stone unturned" to find those responsible for the firework-related violence in Niddrie and elsewhere on Halloween. Additional officers are being deployed around Edinburgh over the weekend amid fears of further disorder.

A photograph from Niddrie last night. | National World

Groups of youths targeted police vehicles with fireworks and other projectiles amid numerous reports of anti-social behaviour on Thursday night.

One female officer was injured when the window of the vehicle she was inside was smashed by a brick and local buses were also pelted with projectiles, police said.

An open-top bus carrying young people with disabilities was also targeted with fireworks.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with alleged fireworks offences.

Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day said he was "shocked and saddened" by the "mindless violence" on what should have been a family-friendly Halloween .

Mr Robertson said he was "furious" one of his colleagues was attacked, while acknowledging disorder around Bonfire Night has become a recurring theme in this part of Edinburgh .

He told journalists: "I think [Niddrie] has become a focal point, in truth. It feels as though that's why – it's almost become an anniversary type position, where it's to attack police in Niddrie.

"That's what these individuals are seeking to do. That's how they get a sense of enjoyment, it's about attacking the police."

When similar disorder took place in Niddrie around Bonfire Night in 2022 and 2023, police later discovered many of those involved were from other parts of the city and its suburbs, he said.

For the first time, laws have come into effect creating firework control zones around Edinburgh, allowing police to seize pyrotechnics.

Mr Robertson said police would pro-actively be patrolling around the city to try and prevent more trouble, as he said "there is potential for us to see further disorder across the city across the weekend".

Police Scotland's national serious crime departments are now being used to trace those responsible for Thursday's violence, he said.

The senior officer added: "No stone will be left unturned. We are mobilising everything that we have at our disposal to identify who's responsible and bring them to justice as soon as possible. We are putting everything into this."

Police also revealed a quantity of fireworks and petrol were seized at an address in the Magdalene Gardens area on Thursday after intelligence was received that it was going to be used to create disorder.

Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Attacks on emergency crews and the disorder experienced last night is despicable. The courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with perpetrators and Police Scotland has warned that those responsible will be identified and held to account."

The trouble comes almost a year after similar firework-related disorder in the city led to 26 people being charged with a total of 51 offences around Bonfire Night.

The ages of those charged ranged between 12 and 34, with the majority in their mid to late teens.

In that incident, fireworks and petrol bombs were thrown at police officers in the Niddrie, Sighthill and Southhouse areas of the city.

Cllr Day told the BBC: “I think it’s despicable behaviour from a minority of people. I understand two police officers were injured and 16 buses were damaged, including an open-top bus carrying young people with disabilities, after being attacked by these hooligans.

“Streets had to be closed off and city bins were set on fire.”

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He said no-one expected the disorder to kick off on Halloween. He said he would be speaking to Chief Constable Jo Farrell to make sure more police resources are put into the city over the next week.

Cllr Day added: “Some people have experienced hard times, but we all experience hard times and we don’t attack police officers and buses. I call on parents and families to help identify them and apprehend them.”

Council leader Cammy Day

Lothian Buses were also forced to withdraw at least nine bus services due to the anti-social behaviour.

A spokesperson for the company said Lothian Buses had a “zero-tolerance approach” to antisocial behaviour, and had to make the decision to withdraw services because of staff and customer safety.

The disorder happened just hours before a new law banning the use of fireworks around Bonfire Night in certain parts of the city came into force.

The firework control zone will run from Friday until November 10, making it a criminal offence to set off private fireworks.

The Scottish Government gave local authorities the power to introduce these firework control zones after a major riot in the Kirkton area of Dundee in 2022.

Edinburgh Council became the first Scottish council to vote to implement these measures earlier this year.

The violence has also been condemned by Lothians MSP Sharon Dowey.

Ms Dowey, who is also the Scottish Conservatives’ community safety spokeswoman, said: “Last night’s awful events, which mirror the scenes of carnage in Edinburgh last year, are completely unacceptable.

“Our overstretched police officers should never have to accept being targeted by dangerous thugs in what looks like pre-planned violence in the lead up to Bonfire Night.

“There must be a zero-tolerance approach to this behaviour, which is why the Scottish Conservatives have for years been calling for double-length sentences for assaults on our emergency workers.

“These yobs must feel the full force of the law.

“Instead, criminals have been emboldened by the SNP’s relentless weakening of the justice system and, with our police force stretched to breaking point by nationalist cuts, violent thugs know they can get away, unpunished.”

Elsewhere in Scotland on Thursday night, youths were also believed to be behind a number of incidents in the Kirkton area of Dundee where fireworks were set off and other projectiles thrown.