2 weeks Ago By Alistair Grant
John Swinney has said he is encouraged firework control measures are “working” despite scenes of disorder in Scotland’s two largest cities on Bonfire Night. Police Scotland condemned the “unacceptable behaviour” which saw firefighters come under attack and fireworks and bricks thrown at police officers. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said it received more than 1,000 calls from the public during an eight-hour period, with six reported attacks on fire crews within three hours.
Meanwhile, the police said they responded to 18 incidents on Tuesday evening as part of Operation Moonbeam, which aims to deal with Bonfire Night disorder, down from 26 in 2023. Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs promised arrests would be made in the coming days and weeks, but said there was a “dramatic fall” in the number of officers hurt compared to last year. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: “It was very encouraging to see a reduction on the night in the level of significant disorder and a dramatic fall in the number of officers who were injured.
” However, he added that it was “still a very challenging evening” with “some significant disorder in a number of areas of Edinburgh and also in Glasgow”. Police in protective equipment, wearing helmets and with shields, were deployed in areas of Edinburgh, including Moredun, Niddrie and Broomhouse, with fireworks, bricks, masonry and bottles being thrown at officers, he said. Meanwhile, vehicles belonging to bus firm Lothian Buses were damaged and there were two attacks on fire appliances in the capital.
Mr Mairs said: “These incidents have left communities alarmed and the public, police officers and other emergency service workers in danger. This is unacceptable behaviour and the focus for me is now on a very significant investigative approach. “We will be looking at all the footage we captured last night and we will be making follow-up arrests in the coming days and weeks.
” SFRS said as well as two incidents of fire appliances being attacked in Edinburgh, there were three attacks in Clydebank and one in Blackridge in West Lothian. Initial figures indicate that crews responded to approximately 347 bonfires and 598 incidents across the country between 3.30pm and 11.
30pm on November 5. Edinburgh became the first Scottish council to implement a ban on the use of fireworks in certain parts of the city in the days around Bonfire Night. Speaking to journalists during a visit to the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney said: "There have been a number of incidents associated with fireworks that have been unacceptable in Scotland overnight.
"I think it is, however, important to recognise the conclusions from Police Scotland that the number of incidents and the severity was at a lower level than it has been in the past. "That gives me encouragement that the measures we have put in place, such as the firework control regulations and also the aggravation offence in relation to attacks on emergency workers, are having an effect. "We will obviously review the experience of last night and take whatever steps we need to take to make sure that communities and emergency workers are kept safe in all circumstances.
" He added: “I totally understand the concerns, and I understand how people will feel in a situation as alarming as they faced. But I do think we have to give credence to the assessment by Police Scotland that the events were not as serious and as intense as they have been in the past, which demonstrates that some of the steps that we’re taking are working. “Obviously, we will review these questions in the light of that and determine if there are further steps that we need to take to protect the public and our emergency services.
” Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey accused him of seeking to downplay the disorder. She said: “John Swinney’s desperate bid to downplay the scenes of violence across Scotland is insulting to the emergency workers and communities targeted by firework-wielding louts. “The First Minister’s complacent patting himself on the back shows how out of touch he is with the reality faced by police and firefighters.
“The SNP’s fireworks laws have failed to work as a deterrent to such violence. Rather than ignoring the problem year on year, the SNP must apply a zero-tolerance approach to this unacceptable behaviour.” Mr Mairs said Police Scotland will continue to work with young people in an effort to stamp out violent disorder on Bonfire Night.
He said: “This is a journey – it’s not something that we can police our way out of – but I’m encouraged to continue to invest in our positive opportunities to support them so that we will see this continue to reduce as an issue, hereon.” Andy Watt, SFRS deputy chief officer, said: “Operations control firefighters answered over 1,000 calls [on Bonfire Night] and have once again worked tirelessly to ensure we respond to those who need us the most.” He added: “Crews were bombarded with missiles and fireworks while responding to emergency incidents.
“These attacks prevent our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, and can impact on our emergency service colleagues – including the police when they must escort us at the scene.” The Pollokshields area of Glasgow was originally meant to have a firework control zone in place between November 1 and 10. However, this did not go ahead as Glasgow City Council did not issue the legal notice needed to create the zone in enough time.
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