Large groups of youths have been throwing fireworks, bricks and bottles at police in Edinburgh, during a night of disorder across the city.
Video posted online shows officers responding to Bonfire Night incidents in the Sighthill, Niddrie, Gracemount and Gilmerton areas.
Riot police have been seen on the streets of Edinburgh, wearing helmets and carrying shields, as fireworks were lit and exploded around them.
One police officer has been injured after a brick was thrown through the window of her patrol car. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Footage from Gilmerton, a suburb in the southeast of the city, also showed burning debris in the street as youths rode on bicycles.
Image: Police in Edinburgh were deployed to several areas, including the suburb of Gilmerton
Police were given extra stop and search powers in certain areas following “intelligence” about planned disorder and firework-related crime.
Superintendent Neil Wilson said: “We are currently responding to incidents of disorder involving large groups of youths throwing a range of objects, including fireworks, bricks and bottles, across Edinburgh.”
A helicopter was also deployed as part of Operation Moonbeam, aimed at supporting local police in tackling fireworks-related offences.
Image: Officers used shields to take cover from fireworks
Meanwhile Lothian Buses withdrew all services from the Niddrie area for safety reasons.
Niddrie was also the scene of disorder on 31 October, when police and public transport vehicles were pelted with fireworks and bricks.
Image: Youths rode on bicycles near officers, as debris burned in the street
On Tuesday, officers in Glasgow seized a “significant quantity” of fireworks from a van in the Drumchapel area which it is alleged were being “sold to the general public, including children”.
There have been pockets of disorder in the city, with fire appliances being attacked, although injuries have been reported.
Read more from Sky News: Mass cull of poultry after bird flu outbreak Gaza teen forced to separate from family Glastonbury announces ticket buying changes
Scotland’s first fireworks control zones (FCZ) are in place in parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow from 1 to 10 November.
Those convicted of setting off a firework within a FCZ face a fine of up to £5,000 and up to six months in jail.
Meanwhile, it appears the famous Lewes bonfire night celebrations in East Sussex went off without incident after police urged people not to attend because of overcrowding concerns.
Image: Effigies of Nigel Farage and Paula Vennells were burnt in Lewes Pic: PA
The so-called “bonfire capital of the world” is famous for burning effigies of controversial politicians and celebrities.
This year they included former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Oasis fans who have been looking back in anger after being caught out by dynamic pricing for tickets to their upcoming reunion tour may delight in the sight of an effigy of Ticketmaster being burned for Bonfire Night.
Liam and Noel Gallagher were depicted as puppets on the 11m-tall effigy of the ticket-selling platform at Edenbridge Bonfire Society in Kent.
The town’s Bonfire Night celebrations have previously poked fun at politicians.
Image: The Ticketmaster and Oasis brothers effigy before it was set on fire
An effigy of London mayor Sadiq Khan was burned last year over his decision to extend the capital’s charge for polluting vehicles, and models of Liz Truss (and a lettuce), Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have also faced the flames.
“We wanted to remind people that it doesn’t always have to be politicians who we create for our annual event,” said Andrea Deans, one of the creators of the giant effigy.
“The Ticketmaster ticket fiasco has affected a lot of different age groups, such is the appeal of Oasis, and I know many fans were very unhappy… when they discovered the price of the tickets.”
She said “no one likes being taken advantage of”.
Fans were outraged after spending hours queueing for tickets only to find some had more than doubled in price from around £148 to £355 in August.
An explanation about the “in-demand standing ticket” price on the Ticketmaster website said: “The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value.
“Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change.”
Read more: Special guest announced for Oasis reunion shows Liam Gallagher brands sketch about brothers ‘excruciating’
Gallagher brothers ‘not our target’ – ‘it is the corporate giant of Ticketmaster’
Reece Hook, another creator of the effigy, said: “Although our effigy includes Liam and Noel Gallagher, they are not our target, it is the corporate giant of Ticketmaster we have gone with this year.
“We are all big Oasis fans and wish them a very successful tour.”
It comes after promoters warned thousands of Oasis tickets listed on unauthorised sites would start to be cancelled “in the coming weeks”.
The fallout from the ticket-buying debacle has led to a proposed new law to improve pricing transparency and prevent fans from being ripped off.
The UK competition watchdog has said it is looking at the use of the dynamic pricing system.
Pet owners are gearing up for a stressful time for both themselves and their animals as fireworks season begins.
With Bonfire Night and Diwali in October and November, followed not long afterwards by New Year’s Eve, there is little respite from the bangs and vibrations that can have devastating effects on animals.
Julie Doorne from Firework Campaign UK told Sky News that people suffer as well as pets.
Pet owners will avoid leaving their animals at home alone for months on end, or use up annual leave to take them away.
“People’s lives change” due to fireworks, she said.
The campaign wants an end to private fireworks. Ms Doorne says they’re not trying to cancel Bonfire Night or any other celebrations – but they want displays licenced and kept a certain distance from animals.
Image: Jade, with Liberty and Emma after her fall
‘I will never see her again’
Liberty, an 18-year-old from Winterbourne, recently lost her horse Jade due to fireworks. Jade was Liberty’s therapy horse, who helped her with anxiety, and was a gift from her friend Emma.
“Jade taught me everything. My first canter, my first gallop, she gave me the confidence in everything,” Liberty said.
“She knew when I was upset. If she heard me cry she would stand over me. When I was feeling down she would nudge me. She knew when I was at my lowest.”
In October, Jade got spooked by a firework that was let off near the field she was in.
She ran and hurt her back legs in the process. Despite Liberty trying to get her up, it was clear she wasn’t going to.
“She tried but she didn’t have the strength and in the end, she gave up,” Liberty said.
Jade had to be put to sleep.
“My heart is ripped apart,” Liberty said. “She was my best friend and soulmate.
“I will always remember the lowest of my days when she wouldn’t leave my side… I have no words but heartache and tears.”
“I want the whole world to know that Jadey was my life.”
Liberty wants to see a ban on setting off fireworks around livestock.
Jade would have “been here today if it wasn’t for the firework,” she said. “I will never see her again.”
Image: Nala gets very distressed around fireworks
‘Driving to the middle of the New Forest for quiet’
Rosemary, from Hampshire, has a 10-year-old horse called Rolo – and Nala, an 11-year-old working cocker spaniel.
To prepare Rolo for the fireworks, Rosemary plans to put boots on him to stop him from kicking himself and keep him in his stable.
This is the first fireworks season she’s experienced with Rolo, so she plans to “take a leap of faith” and hope he copes well.
But Nala gets very distressed.
“She barks to the point that one New Year’s Eve I drove out to the middle of the New Forest to get her as far away from the noise as possible,” Rosemary said.
She added she is forced to change her routine when she knows there may be fireworks.
“I can’t leave her on the weekend of Bonfire Night. I will always be making a decision on, ‘If we go out, can I take her?’ – but we have to endure it when it’s unexpected.”
Image: Nelly the Boston, with her cat sisters Poppy and Pixie
‘We’re worried the stress will shorten her life’
Matt Wilke, 36, from northwest London, has a Boston terrier called Nelly, and two cats, Pixie and Poppy.
All three are rescues from South Africa, and he said the journey to bring them to the UK during the pandemic was nowhere near as stressful as fireworks are for them.
“Pixie becomes incredibly skittish and just about hyperventilates. It is absolutely horrible seeing a cat having what looks like an asthma attack and being very frightened,” he explained.
Poppy does her best to try to hide, which is worrying because “she tries squeezing herself into the smallest of spaces and we’re always so worried she will hurt herself”.
Mike also worries Poppy will “get stuck somewhere or – in a panic to find somewhere – get out and run without any idea of where she’s trying to go”.
Nelly becomes very needy, constantly vigilant and frightened of going outside. Matt said the effects on her can last for days after the fireworks have stopped.
“This undue stress simply isn’t good for her and we’re constantly worried that the stress, especially as she gets older, could shorten her life.”
Pip, an elderly dog with a fragile heart
Jane has an elderly dog called Pip.
Pip “has been petrified of fireworks all his life”, she said.
Jane added: “Every year we spend about two weeks around bonfire night unable to sleep until late as he needs comforting because he gets so worked up and frightened when he hears them going off.
“We are dreading this year as he now has a heart condition which means he collapses if he gets highly stressed or excited.
“So we feel we have no alternative but to drive us all out into the country for a few hours to get away from the relentless sound of bombs going off.
“If we don’t I fear he will have a heart attack.”
Image: Messi was so scared by fireworks he woudn’t go outside
Could Australian-style ban work in the UK?
Dog owner Jane Price recalled stressful bonfire nights with her Cairn terrier Messi.
“He would bark and get very upset,” she said. “He wouldn’t even go outside, he was worried there was going to be another bang.”
Ms Price is originally from Australia, where there’s a ban on members of the public buying fireworks.
There’s merit to that rule, she said.
In the UK, fireworks can be sold between 15 October and 10 November for Bonfire Night and from 26 to 31 December for New Year celebrations.
They can also be sold in the three days leading up to Chinese New Year and Diwali.
But many pet owners would welcome Australian-style restrictions in the UK.
Image: Cody gets very agitated and scared when she hears the loud bangs of fireworks
‘It’s really difficult to calm and console’
Another concerned animal lover, Di, told Sky News her border collie cross, Cody, is “absolutely terrified” of fireworks.
“This appears to be getting worse as she grows older,” she said. “Her reaction to them is to bark continuously, pant and pace and it is really difficult to calm and console her.
“This reaction can continue for a good while after the fireworks have subsided.”
Vet says fireworks ‘totally cruel’ to animals
The run-up to Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve sees a surge of people seeking sedatives for their pets, a north London vet told Sky News.
“One month before firework night, people are coming in one after the other to get calming remedies for their pets,” she says.
Fireworks displays are “totally cruel” to animals, who have “very sensitive hearing”, she added.
“They’re put under stress and anxiety that can sometimes cause illnesses like alopecia from over-grooming themselves due to stress.”
About 14 million people in the UK attend organised firework displays each year, according to the British Pyrotechnics Association – but that number does not include fireworks set off in private gardens and fields across the country.
These displays are the real problem, according to some pet owners.
Call for organised fireworks events only
Sophie Gannon’s dog Barclay is “petrified by the noise” and “shakes” on hearing fireworks.
“I don’t think they should sell fireworks at all. I think it should just be organised events only,” she said.
The RSPCA receives about 400 calls from concerned pet owners every Bonfire Night, and in 2019 launched its Bang Out Of Order campaign, calling for changes to firework laws.
It wants the sale of fireworks restricted to between 29 October and 5 November and a reduction of the maximum noise level of fireworks from 120 decibels to 90 decibels.
The animal charity has also called for the implementation of firework control zones, prohibiting fireworks near animal habitats, farms and zoos.
The charity’s research shows 73% of adults polled think firework control zones should be introduced and 75% think the firework sale period should be limited.
What are the rules as they stand?
The Animal Welfare Act does not extend to protecting animals from the effects of fireworks.
While it prohibits “any unnecessary suffering to a captive or domestic animal”, if fireworks are let off legally, their use would not be considered unreasonable.
Scotland’s fireworks laws changed in June, giving councils the power to designate Firework Control Zones where it would be illegal to set off fireworks. The impact on animals is one reason why a council could grant a control zone.
In Northern Ireland, anyone who wants to buy, possess, and use fireworks (except indoor fireworks and sparklers) must have a valid fireworks licence.
In 2019, the House of Commons petition committee published a report on fireworks after more than 750,000 people signed a petition demanding a change to the laws.
In response, the government agreed to coordinate a major public awareness campaign, but stopped short of accepting recommendations – including introducing decibel limits and empowering local councils to enforce firework permits.
Another petition calling for tougher regulations gained more than 15,000 signatures in advance of this year’s Bonfire Night.
The government responded by saying it has “no plans to ban the sale of fireworks to the public but continues to monitor the situation”.
A government spokesperson added: “We believe the majority of individuals use fireworks safely and appropriately.
“The government understands that people want to enjoy fireworks. We believe that the legislative framework controlling fireworks strikes the right balance and we have no plans to replace it at this time.”
A teenager has died after being found injured near to where fireworks were being “hurled”, as Bonfire Night was marred by violence and anti-social behaviour in parts of the UK.
The 17-year-old boy was found hurt in the garden of a property in Halifax, West Yorkshire, shortly after 8pm on Saturday.
He was taken to hospital where he died, police said.
Yorkshire Live reported that the teenager had jumped over a fence and crashed into a greenhouse after “scenes of chaos” on Vickerman Street, as a large group threw fireworks towards police.
An eyewitness told the news outlet that fireworks were being “hurled” in the street at the time the teenager was found injured and described the scenes as “horrendous”.
West Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, over the incident after officers had been called to the street “due to fireworks being set off”.
It came as police across the UK reported violence and anti-social behaviour linked to Bonfire Night, with disorder in Edinburgh branded “disgraceful”.
In West Yorkshire, riot officers were called in to deal with disorder in Leeds when fireworks were thrown towards police in the city’s Hyde Park area.
Elsewhere, four youths were arrested after police and fire service vehicles were attacked in the Bradford Moor area in the run up to Bonfire Night.
In Liverpool, two men were shot in an “horrendous incident” close to a Bonfire Night party.
Image: Edinburgh’s council leader said there were ‘disgraceful’ scenes in the city
The victims suffered serious leg injuries and a suspect, dressed all in black, reportedly ran from the scene in Netherton at about 11.20pm on Saturday, Merseyside Police said.
In Greater Manchester, firefighters said they attended more than 200 incidents on “another busy Bonfire Night”.
In Eccles, a firework was thrown at firefighters who were trying to put out an unsupervised bonfire.
Fireworks were also aimed at crews responding to an incident in Crumpsall Park, Manchester, and a firework was reportedly put through the letterbox of a home in Salford.
In Edinburgh, a road was blockaded with fire and motorbikes raced through part of the city amid Bonfire Night chaos on Saturday.
Footage shared online showed a motorbike gang racing in the streets with fireworks being set off along the ground, seemingly aimed at people and vehicles.
Edinburgh’s council leader Cammy Day criticised the scenes, saying what happened was “disgraceful and disgusting”.
