Bonfire Night will see the largest co-ordinated deployment of police resources in Scotland since the visit of Donald Trump, a senior officer has said. The "enhanced deployment" will see officers drafted in from 18 different UK police forces as Police Scotland prepares for one of the busiest nights in its calendar.
As well as the potential for fireworks-related disorder, Celtic are taking on Besiktas in a UEFA Europa League match at Parkhead on November 5. Police said they were also aware of images circulating online suggesting planned protest activity taking place within Glasgow on the same night.
Operation Amberlight
A police operation – dubbed Operation Amberlight – has been set up to enable the force to respond to the "unique challenges" it could face, and to help ensure the safety of the public and emergency services. This will include the deployment of public order officers from as far afield as Avon & Somerset, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and South Wales.
More than 7,000 officers were deployed over a four-day period during Trump's private visit to Scotland in July 2025.
Chief Superintendent David Robertson, gold commander for Operation Amberlight, said Bonfire Night remains "one of the busiest nights on the calendar for Police Scotland".
He said: "We are committed to supporting local policing divisions with dedicated, nationally co-ordinated, specialist capabilities and Operation Amberlight builds on what is already in place to further enhance our capability and capacity to respond to the unique challenges we may face on November 5.
"Whilst we have seen improvements in recent years, we are not complacent, and with these additional challenges – our enhanced deployment model – we will see (the) largest deployment of police resources since the visit of President Trump.
"As a national service, one of our strengths is our ability to deploy officers where they are needed across the country, supporting local policing teams with specialist capabilities.
"In the face of increasingly more complex demands, we can build on that strength with mutual aid from colleagues in England and Wales to meet the additional demands.
"I thank them for their assistance as we work together to protect the public, reassure communities and respond effectively to incidents."
Operation Moonbeam 2026
The force previously warned that anyone involved in Bonfire Night violence and disorder will be identified, arrested, and brought to justice. Police Operation Moonbeam 2026 has been set up, enabling local policing divisions to call on specially trained officers to respond to violence and disorder.
Firework control zones and dispersal zones, which give officers the power to break up groups of two or more people whose behaviour is causing, or likely to cause, alarm or distress, will be in place in some areas. Officers can also issue dispersal orders requiring individuals to leave an area or face further police action.
Ch Supt Robertson said: "For the last couple of years, we've seen improvement – but we are not complacent. The behaviour that we've seen has been experienced by some communities in Scotland for over 10 years now, so we must continue to work with partners to do everything we can to prevent this behaviour."
He added: "We understand how impactful this can be and we are really committed, and I will be clear this behaviour simply has to stop," he said. "We'll be there standing shoulder to shoulder with communities to protect them.
"To those who may be intent on engaging in disorder, the message is really clear: we will identify you, we will arrest you, and we will bring you to justice."
Operation Moonbeam was first launched in 2017 following serious disorder in various parts of the country which saw one officer in Edinburgh seriously injured when she was struck by a firework. In 2023, unprecedented violence was directed at emergency services and 62 officers were injured.
Firework control zones will operate in Edinburgh from October 30 to November 8, and in Glasgow from October 30 to November 9. In addition, 14 dispersal zones will be implemented in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow.
