By Sohaib Shams
Emergency services across the United Kingdom are preparing for potential disorder on Bonfire Night, 5 November, amid growing concerns over the safety of firefighters and shortages of resources. Police forces in several towns and cities have already used enhanced powers, including dispersal orders, to tackle groups setting off fireworks in public places in the days leading up to the event.
Enhanced Police Powers and Arrests
Seven people were arrested in Birmingham on Saturday after fireworks were set off in the city centre on Halloween. In Salford, a pub landlady reported that about 60 teenagers surrounded the building, shooting fireworks at it and harassing passersby. Forces in identified hotspots have promised a greater police presence, while firefighters have urged an end to what they describe as unacceptable attacks.
Scotland's Large-Scale Operation
A major policing operation is underway in Scotland, described as the largest since the visit of former US President Donald Trump last year. Under a mutual aid agreement, public order vehicles and drivers are being brought in from English and Welsh forces to Scottish cities including Glasgow to address potential unrest, which includes rumoured far-right protest activity. The operation coincides with Celtic's home Europa League match against Turkish club Beşiktaş in Glasgow. Fireworks control zones banning pyrotechnics are in place in parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow, aiming to avoid a repeat of 2023 when dozens of police officers were injured.
Fireworks Control Zones and Past Incidents
Extra officers will patrol streets in West Yorkshire, where the period around 5 November is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year. Riot officers and police helicopters are routinely deployed to the Hyde Park area of Leeds to tackle disorder caused by fireworks used as missiles. Thirty tonnes of illegal fireworks were seized in Bradford and Halifax ahead of the Halloween and Bonfire Night period.
Rising Attacks on Firefighters
Last year, firefighters were attacked with fireworks while tackling a blaze at a block of flats in Liverpool. Figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show 129 firefighters were injured in attacks in England in the year ending March 2025, compared with 96 the previous year, with 13 suffering serious injuries. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service recorded 16 physical attacks and 20 attacks on property and equipment in 2025-26. National Fire Chiefs Council chair Phil Garrigan said firefighters “put themselves on the line to protect others” and should never face violence. Fire Brigades Union national officer Adam Taylor warned that services have been “decimated” since 2010, calling for an increase of 5,000 firefighters to ensure safe and timely responses.
Calls for Firework Regulation
Public concern over firework safety has grown, with more than 1.6 million people signing Change.org petitions calling for regulation. The Scottish Greens have urged a ban on private firework sales to stop dangerous, unorganised displays. In 2024, an endangered baby red panda named Roxie at Edinburgh Zoo died from stress caused by Bonfire Night fireworks, according to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The National Sheep Association also warned that flashes and bangs could cause ewes to miscarry and livestock to panic.
