Bins set on fire in Kirkton as police tackle more Halloween disorder

by · The Courier

Bins were set on fire by groups of youths as police tackled another night of Halloween disorder in Kirkton.

Firefighters were called to put out several blazes in the area around the Beauly shops on the Dundee estate on Thursday night.

At one point, officers also formed a barricade around the Asda supermarket.

There was a large police presence following significant trouble in recent years, with officers patrolling in both marked and unmarked vehicles.

The first flashpoint came at around 7.30pm, when a wheelie bin was set on fire next to a shelter at Beauly Square.

Police officers guarded the scene until a fire crew arrived and it was quickly put out.

The Beauly Square blaze. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Police monitored the fire until firefighters arrived. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Bins were set alight. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
A fire crew at the scene. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

At around 8.45pm, another bin was set on fire on the road outside the shops with police blocking the street until firefighters arrived, as a large group of youngsters gathered to watch.

Soon after, a bonfire was started on Keswick Terrace with youths seen piling blue wheelie bins onto the blaze.

Then, just before 10pm, seven police vans were seen parked outside the Asda supermarket with blue lights on.

Officers appeared to form a barricade around the perimeter of the shop but it is unclear why.

On a number of other occasions, police were seen driving in the area with blue lights on, but most incidents appeared to be contained.

Several fireworks were also set off.

‘We hoped there would be no trouble’

It came as families were out guising in the area.

One woman, who was out with her children, said: “We hoped there would be no trouble tonight.

“We wanted to be able to take the children out guising and let them have fun.

“It feels like there is anxiety in the area.”

Another onlooker said while it seemed to be “simmering”, there had not been a repeat of the level of trouble seen in previous years.

Officers appeared to form a barricade outside Asda. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Police vans outside Asda. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Another bin alight near the Kirkton shops. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Police and firefighters in Kirkton. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Police monitoring the situation outside the Beauly shops. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Youths seen piling blue bins onto a bonfire. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

Chief Inspector Colin Echevarria, local area commander for Tayside, said: “Officers patrolling in the Kirkton area of Dundee attended a small number of anti-social behaviour incidents on Thursday.

“These included responding to reports of fireworks being set off, eggs and bottles being thrown and a small fire.

“There have been no arrests, and no reported injuries to officers or the public.

Increased police presence in lead-up to Bonfire Night

“I would like to thank the local community and our partners at Dundee City Council for their cooperation and support.

“There will be an increased police presence over the next few days in the Kirkton area to keep people safe in the lead-up to Bonfire Night.”

Ahead of Halloween, a community clean-up was held in a bid to remove “fire-risk” items from Kirkton streets.

Eleven empty houses in the area also had shutters put on them in an attempt to prevent them from being targeted.