Edinburgh bonfire night disorder: Youths throw stones and fireworks at police in Niddrie amid rising tensions

At 8.15pm tonight a group of youths appeared on Niddrie Mains Road and started throwing stones at the police vans gathered in the area. Shortly after 9pm they started throwing fireworks at officers. The police helicopter returned to the skies above at around the same time.

Police officers came under attack in Niddrie on Tuesday, November 5, at around 9pm. | National World

An eyewitness told the Evening News what he saw. He said: “It’s all kicked off. Fireworks were exploding everywhere, with one landing right next to me. We had to flee to a local resident’s home.

“At around 8pm large groups of guys in balaclavas made their way to Niddrie Mains Road throwing rocks at police vans. That’s when officers put on full riot gear and made a full line across the road and started marching forward to confront those causing disorder.

“Not much happened at first, but there was a bin on fire in the middle of the road. The officers closed Hay Drive to the next block but somehow the youths got round the back and that’s when the fireworks started.

“I saw a boy put a large box of fireworks on the road in front of the police with other youths aiming fireworks at the officers.

“Fireworks were then exploding everywhere and I ran into a garden to escape and the resident let me in to get me to safety.”

Police officers with riot gear pictured on Niddrie Mains Road on Tuesday, November 5. | National World

Around 50 officers along with more than a dozen vans and a police helicopter overheard have been in the area since earlier this evening, although the evening had started off reasonably peaceful, although Niddrie Mains Road was closed between 6.30pm and 7.30pm amid reports of fireworks being thrown at vehicles.

A large police presence has been in the Edinburgh area this evening amid fears of similar scenes tonight from November 5 last year when youths attacked police with fireworks.