- Extra police officers will be deployed after Halloween rioting in Dundee.
- Police chief Phil Davison said more officers would be called in to reassure the public.
- No arrests have been made and no serious injuries have occurred so far, he added.
Extra police officers will be deployed on Dundee’s streets 24 hours after “reckless and deplorable” rioting, according to the city’s police chief.
On Monday night, riot officers were called in after gangs of young people blocked roads with bonfires and hurled fireworks.
Drivers were forced to turn around due to the fires, and a Police Scotland helicopter circled the area above.
According to Chief Supt Phil Davison, no arrests have been made so far, and no serious injuries have occurred.
He insisted, however, that officers were following several positive lines of inquiry and that more officers would be called in to reassure the public.
He stated: “I can assure our community’s residents that police presence will be increased in the coming days.
“I completely understand and appreciate the anguish felt by local residents.
“Nobody should be in their house and witnessing the kind of behaviour we displayed last night.”
In response to an urgent question at Holyrood, Justice Minister Keith Brown also condemned the Halloween disorder.
The commotion began around 17:30 on Monday on Beauly Square in the Kirkton area and lasted several hours.
Fireworks were thrown at emergency personnel, and one police officer was slightly injured.
There have been reports of bricks being thrown at vehicles and people jumping on car roofs.
According to Ch Supt Davison, the majority of the youths involved ranged in age from 12 to late adolescence.
He described the initial outbreak of trouble as “spontaneous,” but added that as rioting spread, groups became more organised.
“The behaviour we witnessed was absolutely despicable,” he said. “It was reckless… and jeopardised emergency services and communities.”
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