Seven people were arrested as Police Scotland mounted its largest deployment of officers since the visit of US President Donald Trump in 2025, after emergency services were targeted with fireworks and a police vehicle was set alight in Glasgow.
Police and an ambulance were responding to a report of an injured man in Greenside Street when one police officer and an ambulance staff member sustained minor injuries after both crews were attacked with fireworks. A police vehicle was set alight and seriously damaged, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested, police said.
Widespread disorder across Scotland
Firefighters were also forced to withdraw as they faced anti-social behaviour while attending to bin fires in the south of Edinburgh, while police were targeted with fireworks in other areas of the city. Fireworks were also thrown at members of the public in Clydebank, and there were attacks on fire crews in the Knightswood and Castlemilk areas of Glasgow, Cumnock in Ayrshire, Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, and Blackridge, West Lothian.
The incidents came amid a large police operation to deal with disorder on Bonfire Night, known as Operation Amberlight. Police Scotland said officers and ambulance crews were called to reports of an injured male on Greenside Street in Glasgow shortly before 8pm.
A spokesperson for the force said: “During this time both crews were targeted with fireworks resulting in a police vehicle being set alight and seriously damaged. One of the ambulance staff sustained a minor injury. Operation Amberlight specialist resources were deployed, and one male has been arrested. Inquiries are ongoing and police maintain a presence in the area.”
Edinburgh and Dundee incidents
In Oxgangs and around Colinton Mains in Edinburgh, bins were knocked over and set on fire in the road on Thursday evening. There was a large police presence in the area, as trouble involving groups of young people with fireworks was reported. Locals stated that groups of youths were launching fireworks at emergency services as they attempted to deal with the disorder.
One person, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association: “They’re setting fire in the park and shooting fireworks at the police and firemen.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5.30pm on Thursday, November 5 2026, we received a report of a group of youths creating a blockage in the road on Oxgangs Road North, Edinburgh. Officers attended and fireworks were set off in their direction, but no injuries have been reported.”
Police also went to the Kirkton area of Dundee following reports of a significant group of individuals gathering and setting illegal fires.
Operation Amberlight response
As part of its Bonfire Night policing operation, Police Scotland called in assistance from forces in England and Wales, as it mounted the biggest deployment of officers since the visit of Mr Trump last year. The November 5 celebrations coincided with a major European football clash and a possible protest in Glasgow, and officers from as far afield as Avon and Somerset, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and South Wales were expected to be on the streets of Scotland.
Police said a “proportionate policing response” was in place for the Celtic vs Besiktas Europa League match which passed without serious incident, while no resources were required in relation to the possible protest.
Chief Superintendent David Robertson said: “While we have seen a rise in the overall number of calls relating to fireworks incidents between Halloween and Bonfire Night 2026, when compared to last year, I am encouraged by the reduction in serious incidents requiring us to mobilise specialist resources during this time. The communities of Scotland have overwhelmingly showed their commitment to enjoying both Halloween and Bonfire Night in the proper spirit.
“Nevertheless, we have seen, yet again, an unacceptable number of incidents where the police and our emergency service colleagues have been attacked with fireworks and other projectiles. This resulted in one of our officers and a colleague from the Scottish Ambulance Service sustaining minor injuries. This simply must stop. Police officers, ambulance staff and firefighters are there to protect communities – not be the target of violence. I want to make it clear that thorough investigations will now take place to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Fire service figures and political reaction
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it received 1,172 calls between 5.30pm and 11.30pm on November 5 and attended more than 767 incidents, including 335 bonfires. Fireworks, glass bottles and rocks were thrown at crews and appliances in some areas, though no injuries were reported. However, crews were forced to withdraw from some incidents due to safety concerns or wait for police support.
In some areas, Police Scotland escorted SFRS crews as part of Operation Amberlight. Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin, SFRS head of prevention, said: “It is deeply disappointing that colleagues were once again subjected to attacks which in some cases prevented them from carrying out their duties. Firefighters are there to protect communities and respond to emergencies, and no member of our staff or our partners should face abuse, intimidation or violence for doing their job.”
Police said that between Halloween and November 5 they have received 1,024 fireworks-related calls. This was up on the 833 calls received in 2025, however police said there has been a reduction in the number of incidents requiring a specialist public order response across the country.
Scotland’s Education Secretary Mairi McAllan said any instances of disorder or attacks on the public or on emergency services are “completely unacceptable”. She told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme: “Police Scotland were well prepared. Our emergency services were well prepared. The vast majority of displays went ahead without any problems, and that’s to be welcomed. But nonetheless, I would want to be absolutely unequivocal. Totally unacceptable that any disorder related to fireworks should be ongoing.”
David Kennedy, the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, told the same programme officers needed more stop and search powers, as he pushed for politicians to do more to get to the root cause of the issue. “To have 1,700 police officers out, that’s not normal, and we can’t make this normal,” he said. “We can’t accept it as normal. So we have to look into and see what we can do. The only way I think we do that is by relooking at what’s going on in Scotland at the moment and looking at our society to see how can we fix this.”
