Police are investigating ‘bullying and rioting’ on Bonfire Night in Pollokshields

Residents were told officers were working around the clock reviewing “hours and hours” of video footage.

One man and a youth were arrested that night and a further three suspects have already been identified.

Police believe the majority of perpetrators were adults – mainly from the local area – and many of the fireworks were bought online and hidden in cars and flats.

Pollokshields Community Council chairman Ameen Mohammed said there has been a crackdown on cash-and-carry shops where young people used to buy industrial-grade fireworks.

“I think in recent years, thanks to social media, especially Instagram, people can actually get an UberEats-like delivery of fireworks to their house — that’s a hard thing to deal with,” he said.

Three councilors attended the meeting – Zen Gani, Norman MacLeod and Jon Molyneux – but the council was unable to provide an official to address the meeting at short notice.

Cllr Molyneux, who is campaigning for a citywide ban on fireworks to avoid stigmatization of some areas, said he hoped an FCZ next year would “unambiguously clarify what is an offense and help people to report disturbances”.

He added: “Hopefully it would concentrate the police response a bit more rather than being spread out … if there are more isolated pockets of disorder.”

Dr. Ahmed said he would support a bill put forward by Luton North MP Sarah Owen restrictions on the sale of fireworks, external.

In a post on social media, Dr. Ahmed thanked police for their “constructive updates” on the “crime and chaos on Bonfire Night, external“.

“We will ensure this level of vandalism never returns to our streets,” he added.