DISGUSTING DISORDER

Bonfire Night violence in towns and cities

- RYAN CARROLL

THUGS who threw petrol bombs at police on Bonfire Night were yesterday branded “disgusting” by a senior officer. 

Eight officers were injured in Niddrie, Edinburgh, where about 100 youths caused chaos in one of several alarming incidents across the country.

Petrol bombs, fireworks and other projectiles rained down as police tried to restore order on the streets on a night of shame.

Similar incidents took place in Glasgow, Dundee, Blantyre in Lanarkshire and Blackburn in West Lothian.

It led to calls for the public sale of fireworks to be banned.

Furious Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said officers faced “the most extreme violence we’ve seen” since the launch of Operation Moonbeam, which was set up in 2018 to tackle Bonfire Night disorder.

He added: “Officers were subjected to unprecedented levels of violence. A minority have been responsible for an unacceptable and, frankly, disgusting level of disorder that left communities alarmed and police officers injured.”

Drone footage from Niddrie showed a line of police with riot shields standing in front of vans with blue lights flashing.

A mob of black-clad youths gathered on grass in front of them and began throwing pyrotechnics.

The police retreated as a petrol bomb hit the ground before them and fireworks exploded. The assault continued, with petrol bombs and fireworks forcing police to shuffle backward.

The officers then surged forward towards the louts.

ACC Mairs revealed he believed the violence was carried out by young people who were “actively encouraged and co-ordinated by adults to target officers”.