FIRE AND FURY
Firework yobs pelt riot police with petrol bombs & rockets in Bonfire Night stand-off leaving eight cops injured
Terrifying footage shows officers armed with shields being battered with lit missiles amid the carnage
STREETS in Edinburgh were locked down and eight officers left injured after yobs hurled petrol bombs and fireworks at riot cops during Bonfire Night chaos.
Video footage from Niddrie shows officers in riot gear standing in a line as around 100 youths lob explosives at the cops' ring of steel.
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Police were called to the area on Sunday afternoon as part of a Specialist Public Order response following last year's 'warzone' Bonfire Night.
Police Scotland have confirmed a number of officers have suffered minor injuries amid the carnage.
Eight officers were injured by petrol bombs, fireworks and projectiles which led to riot cops being called in.
The chaos kicked off around 4pm after gangs of youngsters targeted vehicles and houses in the area with fireworks - but their focus quickly turned to police as officers arrived on scene.
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Cops set up a cordon by closing off the main road that runs through Niddrie - with buses and cars being diverted away from the area.
Some residents had gathered early in the evening to have a fireworks display and planned to sit and enjoy food and drinks.
One local who lives near the street where the youths congregated told how the noise of the fireworks was “terrifying.”
The woman, who declined to be named, said: “This happens every year up here. The kids just do what they like and nothing happens.
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“It all started about 6.30pm when they all started meeting up.
“I saw some of them had fireworks and I just knew it was going to be trouble.
“It didn’t take long before fireworks were being launched at houses and at local residents.
“The noise of the fireworks was terrifying. I have young kids and they were petrified.
“When the police arrived they became the target of the kids.
“I could see the officers were all dressed up in heavy duty gear and some of them were carrying shields.
“More needs to be done to stop this happening again.
“It’s not fair on people who live here to have to put up with this.”
Leader of Edinburgh City Council Cammy Day said he was "utterly appalled" at the scene from Niddrie tonight.
In a statement, Cllr Day said: "We’ve been clear that this sort of conduct is unacceptable.
“This reckless behaviour endangers lives and like the majority of people in the community, I share in their dismay and upset at this disgraceful behaviour.
"I would like to reassure residents that we are working closely with Police Scotland to ensure the community are safe and appeal to anyone who can help identify those responsible to contact police so they can be dealt with appropriately by the justice system.
“Our emergency services have our full support and do a fantastic job of keeping us all safe.”
In 2018, Police Scotland set up Operation Moonbeam to tackle Bonfire Night disorder.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are currently dealing with an incident of significant disorder in the Hay Avenue area of Edinburgh, which began around 4.40pm this afternoon.
"Reports were received of a large number of youths involved in the antisocial use of fireworks and local officers requested support from the specially-trained Public Order resource.
"Police in attendance are currently being subjected to attacks involving fireworks, petrol bombs and other projectiles and the public is asked to avoid the area while the response is ongoing.
"There are a number of local road closures in place and we will advise when these re-open."
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said: “Our Operation Moonbeam deployments are currently supporting local policing teams across the country as they respond to various fireworks-related offences.
“We can confirm that a small number of officers have sustained minor injuries during their attendance at incidents in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“This is entirely unacceptable and absolutely not simply part of the job of a police officer.
"We are treating these attacks with the utmost seriousness to bring those responsible to justice.”
We told previously how around 100 youths launched fireworks at members of the public and vehicles in Edinburgh last year.
In 2022, a police vehicle was hit by a Molotov cocktail in Niddrie, and motorbike gangs raced through the area while fireworks were lobbed at the ground.
Terrified residents were warned to stay in their homes as eyewitnesses reported "masked gangs" piling rubbish in roads to target slowing vehicles in Niddrie.
And revellers were urged to shop yobs to prevent a repeat of last year’s Bonfire Night havoc.
The claim came after two PCs were injured last Halloween after yobs chucked bricks at their motor during trouble in Edinburgh.
And gangs set off firebombs, burned bins and smashed windows, terrifying residents in Kirkton, Dundee.
Tonight officers have been pictured forming a "ring of steel" deployed as part of Operation Moonbeam to keep the police and emergency services safe during Bonfire Night celebrations.
It is also understood firework throwing yobs targeted Drylaw Police Station in the north of the city earlier this evening.
Police Scotland confirmed youths were outside the station throwing fireworks, but "there is nothing ongoing and no current issues with the station."
A spokesperson added: "Specialist Public Order resources, deployed as part of Operation Moonbeam, are currently supporting local officers in the Hay Avenue area of Edinburgh, following reports of a large group of youths involved in the antisocial use of fireworks within the area.
"The police response is ongoing at present to keep the public and emergency service workers safe and local road closures are currently in place.
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"The public are thanked for their support at this time."
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