Seven people were arrested as police officers, firefighters and ambulance crews came under attack during Bonfire Night disorder across Scotland.
Police Scotland received 1,024 fireworks-related calls between 31 October and 5 November, an increase from 833 last year, although the force reported fewer serious incidents requiring specialist public order officers.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received more than 800 calls relating to fireworks and bonfires in just six hours on Thursday evening.
Emergency crews were attacked in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Clydebank, Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian as Scotland’s largest policing operation since Donald Trump’s visit in 2025 was deployed to deal with disorder.
In Glasgow, a police vehicle was set alight and seriously damaged after officers and ambulance workers were targeted with fireworks while responding to reports of an injured man.
The attack happened in Greenside Street at around 7.55pm on Thursday 5 November. A police officer and a member of ambulance staff sustained minor injuries.
Specialist officers were called to the scene and a 16-year-old boy was arrested.
Firefighters also came under attack while responding to incidents in Castlemilk and Knightswood in Glasgow, Cumnock in Ayrshire, Larkhall in South Lanarkshire and Blackridge in West Lothian.
There were no reported injuries to firefighters or serious damage to fire appliances.
In Edinburgh, officers were called to Oxgangs Road North at around 5pm after a group created a blockade in the street and set it alight.
Fireworks were launched at officers who attended, prompting the deployment of specialist public order resources. Those responsible left the area.
Police and members of the public were also targeted with fireworks in the Gracemount and Gilmerton areas of the capital.
Similar incidents were reported in Clydebank at around 6pm, where fireworks were thrown at members of the public and subsequently at police officers responding to the disorder.
In Dundee, police received reports of a large group gathering and setting illegal fires in the Kirkton area. Specialist resources were made available but were not ultimately required.
Across Edinburgh, police issued 21 dispersal orders, while a further 13 were issued in Glasgow. No charges were brought in connection with breaches of Firework Control Zones.
The incidents took place during Operation Amberlight, an expanded police operation which brought together specialist public order resources to deal with fireworks-related violence, Celtic’s Europa League match against Besiktas and the possibility of protest activity in Glasgow.
The football match passed without serious incident and no police resources were required for the potential protest.
Chief Superintendent David Robertson, who led the operation, said: “While we have seen a rise in the overall number of calls relating to fireworks incidents between Halloween and Bonfire Night 2026, when compared to last year, I am encouraged by the reduction in serious incidents requiring us to mobilise specialist resources during this time.”
He added: “Nevertheless, we have seen, yet again, an unacceptable number of incidents where the police and our emergency service colleagues have been attacked with fireworks and other projectiles. This resulted in one of our officers and a colleague from the Scottish Ambulance Service sustaining minor injuries.
“This simply must stop.”
Police Scotland said investigations would now take place to identify those responsible for the attacks.
Robertson praised the majority of communities for celebrating responsibly and said information provided by the public had helped officers seize significant quantities of fireworks before they could be used in criminal activity.