Greater Manchester Police called out more than 500 times over anti-social behaviour on Bonfire Night

Over 200 involved fireworks

Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 7th Nov 2024

Greater Manchester Police have revealed they were called out to reports of anti-social behaviour more than 500 times on Bonfire Night.

The force confirmed over 200 of those incidents involved fireworks, with 11 arrests made, ranging from violent disorder to drugs and possession of a bladed article.

Once incident saw police pelted with fireworks in Gorton, after a large group of around 30 teenagers barricaded Vine Street with mattresses and wooden pallets.

There were no injuries and three boys aged between 16 and 18 have been arrested.

Police were also called to a similar incident in Cheetham Hill where a group of youths were suspected to be setting fireworks off in a park, firing them at houses in the area.

Elsewhere across the force there were incidents in Bolton where our officers were called to a disturbance on Boardman Street where approximately 100 people were in attendance, with some throwing fireworks.

Greater Manchester Police said a dispersal order was put into place and the incident came to an end shortly after.

In Oldham, a dispersal order was put into place and proactively policed in the town centre, after reports of fireworks being set off and thrown.

Superintendent John Paul Ruffle, Head of Prevention, and force lead for ASB said: “What we saw on bonfire night from a small number of individuals across the evening is completely unacceptable.

"We work tremendously hard to protect and serve those in our local communities and myself and my colleagues should not be going out to incidents having to deal with missiles being thrown at us.

“There are several ongoing investigation related to anti-social behaviour incidents that occurred on Bonfire night, and those involved in incidents of disorder can expect a knock at the door over the coming days."

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