Bonfire night: Police and firefighters attacked with fireworks and petrol bombs

Police officers say they were attacked with fireworks, petrol bombs and a Molotov cocktail in a series of violent bonfire night incidents in Scotland.

Two officers in Edinburgh were treated in hospital for head injuries after youths threw bricks at their vehicle.

In another incident in the capital 100 youths threw fireworks at members of the public and vehicles.

Across Scotland, there were five attacks on firefighters as the service responded to more than 350 callouts.

Police received 483 calls relating to firework offences, down from 581 the previous year.

A road was barricaded in Niddrie, Edinburgh, during bonfire night disturbances

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs accused those responsible of "terrorising" communities. "Those actions will have consequences," he added.

Twelve people had been arrested and a further 15 were removed from police dispersal zones.

The majority of serious incidents took place in Edinburgh.

In scenes which echoed serious disturbances in Dundee earlier this week, social media footage from the city showed a motorbike gang racing through the streets with fireworks being launched along the ground, seemingly aimed at people and vehicles.

• Busiest night of year for emergency services

• Extra police in Dundee after 'reckless' rioting

Disorder began at around 19:00 when about 100 youths threw fireworks at members of the public and vehicles at Marischal Road, Niddrie.

Police closed Niddrie Mains Road to traffic, where earlier in the night a fire had been lit to block the road to passing vehicles. There was also the remains of a temporary bus stop strewn in the street.

Police Scotland said specialist officers had been deployed to the area of the city as part of the force's Operation Moonbeam, and said there had been "reports of various incidents including anti-social use of fireworks, a break-in to a shop and road blockages".

One officer was injured in the area after a brick smashed the window of a police vehicle, suffering a minor cut to their lip.

Specialist officers were deployed to Niddrie, Edinburgh

A spokesperson added: "A police vehicle has also been struck with a bottle containing a flammable substance - however, no damage was sustained and no injuries were reported."

In Sighthill, police said youths targeted one of their vehicles with bricks, smashing its windows. Two officers were taken to the city's Royal Infirmary, with one requiring stitches for a head injury, while the other needed treatment for glass in their eye.

In the Duddingston area of the capital, police vehicles had petrol bombs thrown at them "by a number of youths", a statement said.

The same group are said to have barricaded roads. No injuries were reported.

Road blocks were set up in Niddrie, Edinburgh

In Drylaw, members of the public and the local police station were targeted with fireworks, though there were no reports of injuries or damage to the building.

Firefighters called to extinguish a wheelie bin fire on Ferry Road Drive were forced to withdraw after being attacked with fireworks by youths wielding scaffolding poles and a baseball bat, police said.

Officers there were also attacked with bricks.

Meanwhile, in Langside Street, Clydebank, members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were attacked by 20 youths using fireworks, police said.

One police vehicle sustained "very minor" damage and one male was arrested for assault and culpable and reckless conduct.

And in Glasgow, two people were arrested after a male threw a flare into a crowd of people outside the OVO Hydro.

'Disgraceful'

City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day described the disorder as "disgraceful and disgusting".

"It's only a minority of people responsible for this inexcusable behaviour and I'm sure they will feel the full force of the law," he said.

"It's extremely fortunate that no-one was seriously injured as a result - attacks on the emergency services are despicable and reckless behaviour like this endangers lives."

Official statistics from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) showed there were 1,025 calls during an eight-hour period on 5 November.

Operations control staff mobilised crews to 356 bonfires, with firefighters attending 242 incidents in the west service area, 89 in the east, and 25 in the north between 15:30 and 23:30 on Saturday.

There were three attacks on the crews in the west and two in the east, the figures show.

It is understood there were no injuries reported from the firefighters.

'Unacceptable'

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs, gold commander for Operation Moonbeam, confirmed three officers had been injured. All had returned home after receiving treatment.

"These are folks who as part of their job seek to help and serve their communities every day," he told BBC Scotland.

"Being attacked with bricks, being attacked with fireworks, being attacked with a petrol bomb, in fact, is not acceptable."

"It's simply unacceptable to terrorize communities and target community workers. Those actions will have consequences."

He asked anyone with information about the incidents to contact police.