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Emergency services across the UK are bracing for possible disorder during Bonfire Night, as concerns grow over the safety of firefighters who face increasing attacks and shortages in resources. In the lead-up to 5 November, several communities have experienced unrest and antisocial behaviour, prompting police in various towns and cities to implement additional powers, including dispersal orders, to control public firework displays.
Recent incidents have heightened tensions, with seven arrests made in Birmingham following fireworks being set off in the city centre on Halloween. Meanwhile, a Salford pub landlady reported her establishment being surrounded by around 60 teenagers who launched fireworks at the building and harassed people passing by. In response to these challenges, both police forces and fire services have promised increased presence and urged the public to put an end to these unacceptable acts.
A significant policing operation is underway in Scotland, the largest since the US president’s visit last year. English and Welsh police are providing mutual aid, sending public order vehicles and drivers to assist with potential unrest, especially given rumours of far-right protests coinciding with a Europa League match in Glasgow between Celtic and Turkey’s Beşiktaş. Strict firework control zones have been introduced in Edinburgh and Glasgow, banning pyrotechnics to prevent a repeat of last year’s Bonfire Night violence, when numerous officers sustained injuries.
In West Yorkshire, the police are also intensifying patrols during this traditionally busy period. Riot officers and police helicopters frequently respond to disturbances in Leeds’ Hyde Park area, where fireworks have been used as projectiles. Authorities seized 30 tonnes of illegal fireworks in Bradford and Halifax prior to Halloween and Bonfire Night, aiming to curb misuse. A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council highlighted the vulnerability some people feel during this time and reiterated the need for public enjoyment without crossing into antisocial behaviour.
Firefighters have faced mounting attacks during their duties, with figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government revealing that 129 firefighters in England were assaulted between April 2024 and March 2025, up from 96 the previous year. Of those, 13 sustained serious injuries. Similarly, Scotland’s fire and rescue service reported 16 physical attacks on firefighters and 20 incidents involving property or equipment damage in 2025-26. The National Fire Chiefs Council chair, Phil Garrigan, condemned these attacks, emphasizing that firefighters, who are vital community members, should never be subjected to violence or abuse.
The Fire Brigades Union has drawn attention to the strain on fire services, which were stretched “far beyond safe limits” responding to numerous calls last Bonfire Night. FBU National Officer Adam Taylor stated that fire services have been “decimated” since 2010 due to station closures and the removal of hundreds of frontline fire engines. He called for recruiting an additional 5,000 firefighters to ensure effective and timely responses moving forward.
Concerns about fireworks extend beyond public safety to animal welfare, as calls for tighter regulation continue to grow. More than 1.6 million people have signed petitions urging control measures, while the Scottish Greens have proposed banning private firework sales to prevent dangerous, unregulated displays. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland reported that an endangered baby red panda, Roxie, died from fireworks-induced stress at Edinburgh Zoo on Bonfire Night 2024. The National Sheep Association has also warned that fireworks can cause ewes to miscarry and prompt livestock to panic, urging people to consider the welfare of animals during celebrations
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