Teen charged after Edinburgh Halloween unrest as police vehicle window smashed by brick

A teenage boy has been arrested following a Halloween night of unrest in Edinburgh resulted in an police officer being injured.

Emergency services were deployed to the Hay Avenue, in the Niddrie area, as police vehicles and buses were pelted with fireworks and other missiles.

One female officer was injured during the unrest after the vehicle she was in was struck by a brick smashing a window.

North East & Tayside

Halloween unrest hits Scottish cities as bricks and bottles thrown at police

Footage shows a group launching bottles at passing police vehicles as fire crews tackle a blaze.

The junction of Niddrie Mains Road and Duddingston Park South, and the junction of Niddrie Mains Road and Greendykes Road were closed as police attempted to calm the violence.

Police were also called to Moredunvale Road, Southhouse Road and Captains Road as well as West Pilton Park following further reports of firework related incidents.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with fireworks offences. Further enquiries are ongoing to identify those involved in the disorder.

This comes a year after around 100 youths took to the same streets on November 5 in a repeat of the disorder seen in the same neighbourhood in 2022.

At the time it was reported that 62 officers sustained a range of injuries after being struck by or in the proximity of fireworks in incidents across Scotland last year.

Chief superintendent David Robertson, commander for Edinburgh Division, said: “The disorder witnessed this evening was carried out by a minority of individuals intent on causing fear and alarm within their communities and subjecting emergency service workers to horrific levels of violence and aggression.

“Thankfully, local policing teams were bolstered with specialist colleagues, who helped bring these incidents to a safe conclusion and investigations are underway to identify everyone who was involved.

“I want to make it clear to anyone who thinks they will evade justice because they weren’t apprehended this evening, they are very much mistaken. You will be identified during our inquiries, and you will be held to account for your actions.

“Our local policing teams will continue to be supported by Operation Moonbeam resources over the next week to ensure any further incidents of disorder or fireworks-related criminality are appropriately dealt with.”