Riot police called as 200 youths hurl fireworks during Bonfire Night disturbance

Riot police were called out as around 200 youths threw fireworks and bottles during a disturbance on Bonfire Night.

Police vehicles were damaged as officers attended what they described as a “large-scale disturbance” in Auchmead Road in the Larkfield area of Greenock, Inverclyde, at around 8.10pm on Thursday.

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

Firefighters also attended the scene – just one of hundreds of incidents crews were called to on one of their busiest nights of the year.

The call-outs also included a fire at a house in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, which local MSP Clare Adamson said was started by a stray firework.

Footage posted on social media of the disturbance in Greenock shows a line of riot police advancing down a street as fireworks explode in the background.

A post on the Facebook page of St Andrew’s Church in Auchmead Road on Thursday said: “Hundreds have gathered for fireworks and are using the church wall as a public toilet.

“Father Danny has tried to keep them out but has just been advised by the police, for his own safety, to stay inside.

“Both fire service and police have had bottles thrown at them.”

Police Scotland said public order officers were deployed to disperse the crowd, with no reports of any injuries.

A police spokesman said: “There were no reported injuries, however a number of police vehicles were damaged during the incident.

“A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged in connection with the incident and will be the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal.

“Extensive inquiries are under way to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and identify the individuals involved.”

A fire service spokesman said: “Operations control mobilised one appliance to Auchmead Road, where firefighters requested the assistance of their police partners after encountering anti-social behaviour.

“There were no firefighter injuries.”

Greenock and Inverclyde SNP MSP Stuart McMillan tweeted: “Terrible scenes at bonfire in Larkfield tonight. Reports of missiles thrown at police and using church wall as toilet.

“How will this help us get out of Tier 3? It won’t. This will increase Covid numbers locally.”

Among other incidents firefighters dealt with were the house fire in Corrie Drive, Motherwell, which started shortly before 8pm, and a gorse blaze on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

Police said the house was unoccupied at the time and neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution.

Ms Adamson tweeted: “Devastated for the families affected by fire at homes in Motherwell caused by firework – enough is enough – the human cost of misuse too high, we need further regulation.”

In Edinburgh, the fire service received 32 calls reporting a blaze on Arthur’s Seat just before midnight.

Three appliances were sent to the scene and around 40 square metres of gorse were found to be on fire. There are no reports of any casualties.

Overall, firefighters dealt with 511 bonfires and handled 1,193 calls from members of the public between 3.30pm and midnight on Thursday.

There were 13 reported attacks on crews, although there were no reports of any injuries.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service assistant chief officer Stuart Stevens said: “Attacks on emergency service workers are completely unacceptable.

“This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues, including the police, when they must escort us at the scene.”

Commenting on an “extremely difficult night for our fire service”, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Most alarmingly, and in my view, most unacceptably of all, there were 12 instances of attacks on fire crews with missiles thrown at appliances.”

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, the First Minister paid tribute to the work of firefights and added: “Anybody who was involved in any of these incidents of attacks on firefighters last night, or throwing things at fire appliances, should be deeply ashamed of themselves.

“There is no excuse anytime, anywhere, in any circumstances, to attack emergency workers, and attacking firefighters on Bonfire Night is particularly reprehensible.

“I condemn that behaviour, and those who did that will – in the normal way, where appropriate – face the full force of the law and so they should.”