Seven people were arrested and a police van was set alight as emergency workers were attacked with fireworks during Bonfire Night disorder across Scotland. A police officer and an ambulance worker suffered minor injuries in Glasgow after crews responding to a report of an injured man were targeted.

Police van set on fire in Glasgow

Police said the van was set on fire in Greenside Street, in the Provanmill area of Glasgow, shortly before 8pm, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested. Fire crews were also attacked in Knightswood and Castlemilk in Glasgow, Cumnock in East Ayrshire, Larkhall in South Lanarkshire and Blackridge in West Lothian. No firefighters were hurt.

Disorder in Edinburgh and Dundee

In Edinburgh, a group created a blockade in Oxgangs Road North and set it alight before fireworks were aimed at officers. Fireworks were also thrown at police in Gilmerton and Gracemount, and at members of the public in Clydebank. In the Kirkton area of Dundee, a public order unit was deployed after more than 100 young people started a fire in the road. Police issued 21 dispersal orders in Edinburgh and 13 in Glasgow.

The scale of the night

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it received 1,172 calls about fireworks and bonfires between 5.30pm and 11.30pm and attended more than 767 incidents. Police Scotland received 1,024 fireworks-related calls between 31 October and 5 November, up from 833 in the same period in 2025.

Police and ministers condemn the attacks

The disorder came during Operation Amberlight, a major policing operation involving 1,700 officers. Chief Superintendent David Robertson described the attacks on police, firefighters and ambulance staff as "completely unacceptable". David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said deploying 1,700 officers "can't become normal" and called for better stop-and-search powers.