Groups of yobs have attacked police with fireworks, bricks and other missiles during a Bonfire Night of disorder.
In Manchester, a mob of up to 30 youths hurled rockets at officers. They were siad to have built a ‘barricade’ on Vine Street, in Gorton, using wooden pallets and mattresses.
Two arrests were made for public order offences. Pictures from the scene showed a number of police vans in attendance in attempt to bring the situation under control, disperse the crowds and put out the illegal bonfire.
It is thought a number of innocent motorists were caught up in the crossfire as the flares were lit and thrown towards police vans on Tuesday night.
It comes as emergency services were put on high alert across Halloween and Bonfire Night, with police and fire crews on hand to tackle incidents of anti-social behaviour erupting across the region.
Officers were said to be out on patrol in ‘hotspot areas’ to tackle issues including nuisance fireworks, fires and crowds. Specialist resources are also on hand to be deployed.
Youths throw fireworks at police and firefighters in the Little Horton area of Bradford (Picture: YappApp)
In Scotland, police were called to incidents of disorder ‘across Edinburgh’ (Picture: Duncan McGlynn)
A bonfire rages in Glasgow ahead of the Celtic v RB Leipzig match at Celtic Park (Picture: Action Images via Reuters)Previously, Superintendent John-Paul Ruffle, force lead for anti-social behaviour at Greater Manchester Police, said: ‘Quite simply, we want to put the message out there that we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour, and especially attacks or abuse against emergency service workers simply doing their jobs during this period. Anyone who engages in such behaviour can expect to be met with the full force of the law.
‘Anti-social behaviour is not a low-level crime – it can cause people misery and we are absolutely committed to tackling it in whatever way we can.’
In Scotland, police were called to incidents of disorder ‘across Edinburgh’.
Officers were given stop and search powers and a helicopter was among the ‘specialist resources’ deployed as part of Operation Moonbeam, aimed at supporting local police in tackling fireworks-related offences.
Lothian Buses announced it had taken the ‘difficult but necessary decision’ to withdraw all services from the Niddrie area until the end of the evening.
In Manchester, a mob of up to 30 youths hurled rockets at officers (Picture: MEN Media)The transport operator said on a statement on social media: ‘We take a zero-tolerance approach to all instances of antisocial behaviour.
‘The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is our absolute priority.
‘This evening we have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw all services from the Niddrie area until the end of service tonight.’
Niddrie was also the scene of disorder on October 31, when police and public transport vehicles were pelted with fireworks and bricks.
Earlier, officers in Glasgow recovered a ‘significant quantity’ of fireworks from a van in the Drumpchapel area.
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In a statement posted on social media, police said the fireworks were being ‘sold to the general public, including children’, and that they had now been seized.
They added that a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, and that Trading Standards have been notified.
Scotland’s first fireworks control zones (FCZ) are in place in parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow area from November 1 to November 10.
Police were also called to a children’s park in Bradford which was set alight by youths.
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