Police tackle 144 Halloween fireworks incidents across Scotland

Police Scotland received 144 fireworks-related calls on Saturday night - down on 160 on 31 October last year.

Fireworks were thrown at people, buildings and vehicles in some parts of Scotland on Halloween.

Officers said in general there was "outstanding behaviour and co-operation" around the country but were working to identify to those responsible for disorder.

Firework Control Zones (FCZs) - where it is an offence to set off fireworks - are in place in 14 areas in Edinburgh and four in Glasgow until early November, and dispersal zones are in force in some places.

On Halloween there were reports of fireworks lit in the street and some thrown at members of the public in Glasgow, Tranent in East Lothian and Bonnyrigg in Midlothian.

Police said no officers were injured and inquiries to identify those involved were ongoing.

Operation Moonbeam, which runs up to the evening of 5 November, means police can call on specially trained officers to deal with violence and disorder.

It is the annual police response to firework-linked criminality, which is now in its ninth year.

This year, FCZs banning the use of pyrotechnics in certain areas run from 30 October to 8 November in Edinburgh and until 9 November in Glasgow.

Seven dispersal orders were also issued in Edinburgh and work was ongoing to establish the number issued in Glasgow that relate to Operation Moonbeam.

Ch Supt David Robertson said: "The overwhelming majority of Scotland's communities have celebrated Halloween in the proper spirit and I'm really grateful for the support of our efforts tonight to deter criminality, respond to reports of disorder and protect the public and emergency services from harm.

"Sadly, however, we have again experienced incidents of fireworks used as projectiles at buildings, vehicles and members of the public.

"This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable and has to stop before there are serious consequences."

He said investigations would be launched immediately and Operation Moonbeam officers would continue to support local policing teams on fireworks-related crime over the next week.