The disturbances occurred in the Niddrie area, with officers responding in riot gear. Police Scotland reported "unprecedented levels of violence" and are pursuing those believed to be supplying the weapons to the youths.
Despite only a few arrests on the night, the police expect more to follow due to the significant evidence collected. The violence was not isolated to Edinburgh; police vehicles were damaged in Dundee, and in Glasgow, there were reports of youths throwing fireworks at each other.
Eight officers suffered minor injuries across Edinburgh and Glasgow. Operation Moonbeam, established by Police Scotland in 2018 to address such disorder, was active during the event. Previous years also saw similar violent incidents in the same area. Local leaders and Scottish Conservative justice spokespeople condemned the violence as "appalled," "disgraceful," and "dangerous."