Scots firefighters 'forced to retreat' after feral youths attacked workers with rocks

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Scots firefighters were "forced to retreat" as feral youths pelted rocks at the engine in a shocking attack before bonfire night.

Crew Commander Jonny Milliken was leading a response to a spate of grass fires in Troon on November 3 last year when his crew were ambushed by youths attempting to climb the fire appliance and throwing bricks and stones at them.

The on-call firefighter reflected on the night ahead of their busiest time of year and stated that he and his colleagues are “local people trying to do their best for their town” and shouldn’t face this type of behaviour.

He said: “The stones were rattling off the side of the fire appliance. We decided to keep all crew inside the appliance to ensure their safety. After being bombarded with stones, we had to retreat and leave the area.

“The last thing I wanted as a Crew Commander was for anyone to get injured. We are well aware antisocial behaviour comes from a very small minority, but we were all completely shocked.

“As on-call firefighters, we live and work in our community. All the firefighters that attended that incident were from Troon. We are just local guys trying to do the absolute best we can for our town. We are real people, with real lives in our local community and we deserve to be respected and allowed to do our job properly.”

In 2023, firefighters across Scotland came under attack nine times in eight hours on Bonfire Night - typically one of the busiest nights of the year for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, receiving 892 calls last year and dealing with 355 bonfires.

Part of last year's disruption involved riot police being blasted with petrol bombs and fireworks in a clash with 100 youths on Guy Fawkes Night in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh. Terrifying footage showed officers being struck by lit fireworks and flaming projectiles during a rampage.

As well as that, in the Kirkton estate of Dundee a crazed mob ransacked an empty house, smashed windows, set fire to wheelie bins and let off explosives as innocent youngsters took to the streets to go trick or treating. This followed the incident in the area on the year previous, where masked rioters targeted emergency service personnel.

Disorder in Niddrie and Kirkton started up yesterday on Halloween night. Police vehicles and public transport were attacked with fireworks and missiles, including bricks in Niddrie. Whilst a gang of youths, some masked, were confronted by police after building a bonfire and setting it alight alongside wheelie bins.

Police Scotland says they are on top of the incidents and any potential offences that may arise. A spokesperson said: "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.”

Statistics released by Care of Burns in Scotland (COBIS) show that 37 people accessed emergency treatment between November 4 and 6 last year for fireworks-related injuries.

Fireworks are restricted in terms of use between 6pm and 11pm, and this is extended until midnight on November 5. Additionally, for the first time, there are Firework Control Zones implemented in Balerno and in the Niddrie, Seafield and Calton Hill areas of Edinburgh. This means it is against the law to set off fireworks at any time between the 1st and the 10th of November.

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