2022 Kirkton riot

The 2022 Kirkton riot took place in the area of Kirkton in Dundee, Scotland on 31 October 2022. The civil unrest occurred on several streets in the area during Halloween and was caused by a significantly large group of youths.

2022 Kirkton riot
(1) Beauly Square, where the riot broke out

(2) Balgowan Avenue, where firebombs were thrown at officers

(3) Gillburn Road, where St. Paul's R.C. Academy was vandalised and officers were targeted
Date31 October 2022
17:30 – 22:30 GMT
Location
Kirkton, Dundee, Scotland
MethodsVandalism, firebombing, arson, physical violence
Casualties
Injuries2
Arrested1
Charged3

The riot

The riot broke out at 17:30 GMT in Beauly Square following anti-social behaviour. Speculation arose that the riot broke out following a remembrance event for Grant Hutchison, a man who lived in Kirkton who had died in 2020.[1][2]

Beauly Square

It was reported that vehicles and bins were torched on Beauly Square as the riot began to roll out. Other items such as bikes were also torched as rioters stole items from houses in the area. Police and emergency services began to arrive on the scene shortly afterwards.[3]

Balgowan Avenue

Videos shared on social media showed rioters jumping and smashing car windows, youths setting numerous fires to Balgowan Avenue, the main road circulating through the area, blocking both ways as it was set alight. The nearby Old Glamis Road was also a target for rioters as bricks were thrown at cars and other vehicles.[4][3]

Vehicles such as cars were also targeted with bricks being thrown at windows and motorcycles and bins were set alight with debris remaining until the following day.[5][6] A police helicopter was later dispatched at 20:00 GMT and fire engines arrived to the scene following the initial outbreak of the riot where they remained in the following hours.[7][3]

Gillburn Road

By 21:00 GMT, St. Paul's R.C. Academy was vandalised with windows being smashed open and cars being vandalised in the car park. Fireworks and firebombs were thrown to riot officers and emergency service officers who had arrived on the scene two hours prior, with one police officer receiving injuries. At 21:47 GMT, riot police tried to move rioters away from Gillburn Road.[3]

Shops and restaurants in Kirkton were targeted by rioters and as a result, windows were boarded up and closed the following day.[3]

The helicopter left the scene at 22:30 GMT after police managed to take control of the situation. No arrests were made during or the immediate aftermath of the riot however police stated that they would bring those responsible to justice.[3]

Aftermath

Police Scotland said that further police presence would be put in place for the days following the riot, up to and past Bonfire Night. Melted debris were later seen on roads throughout Kirkton the following morning.

A press release was published the following morning from Police Scotland updating the public, stating that enquires were ongoing to identify rioters.

On 1 November 2022, Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra and Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden submitted an urgent question to the Scottish Parliament following the riots, seeking clarity from the Scottish Government and question how such an event could be stopped in future.[8]

As a result of the riot, several venues in Dundee cancelled their Bonfire Night displays. Dundee's annual fireworks display for Bonfire Night did not go ahead for the third year.[9]

Firework ban campaign

Following the riot, Dundee City Council leader John Alexander called for supermarkets in Dundee to ban the public selling of fireworks. Supermarkets shortly after in Dundee banned the public selling of fireworks.[10][11]

Investigation

On 1 November 2022, Scottish Government Justice Secretary Keith Brown confirmed that Police Scotland had launched an investigation to identify and prosecute those involved in the riot. Brown also faced calls to introduce a nationwide ban on public purchase of fireworks following the events after he condemned the riot.[12]

On 3 November 2022, a teenager was arrested in connection with the riot.[13]

On 6 November 2022, a 28-year old woman and a 15-year old teenager were charged following the riot.[14]

Reactions

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander condemned the scenes from Kirkton. Alexander said that he'd never seen anything in the decades he lived in the area and compared the riot to scenes of a 'war-torn nation'.[15][16] Many media outlets and users on social media compared the riots to the 2013 horror film, The Purge. A poster was created parodying the film which featured "The Purge: Kirkton".[17]

Dundee City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick and Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison wrote a joint letter to the police commissioner following the incident.[18]

Police Scotland condemned the incident and publicly stated that police presence would be tighter as a result of the riots.[19] Several residents criticised Police Scotland's approach as they accused them of not responding to the situation sooner as no arrests were made during or in the immediate aftermath of the riot.[20]

The Scottish Government's Justice Secretary Keith Brown described the riot as appalling and wholly unacceptable.

The Kirkton riot was the subject of a 2023 documentary series produced by the BBC, Street Gangs.[21]

References
  1. Clark, Alasdair (2 November 2022). "Justice secretary urged to clarify comments linking Kirkton riots to Dundee dad's death". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  2. ""They wurnae trying to riot for any sort a reason." Graeme discovers what sparked chaos in Kirkton in 2022". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  3. "Kirkton riots: Visual timeline and eyewitness accounts of night that shamed Dundee". The Courier. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  4. Clark, Alasdair (November 2022). "Officer hurt in Kirkton riots as police issue statement". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  5. Delaney, James (2022-11-01). "Fireworks hurled at police and fires set on roads in Halloween disorder". STV News. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  6. Koronka, Poppy. "Riot police deployed to quell Halloween disorder in Dundee". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  7. Suter, Ruth (2022-11-01). "Shocking footage from Dundee riots show feral youths set city ablaze". Daily Record. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  8. Marra, Michael (1 November 2022). "Michael Marra submits urgent question to Scottish Government regarding Kirkton riot". Twitter. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  9. "Night of calm following Dundee fireworks rampage". BBC News. 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  10. Clark, Alasdair (November 2022). "Fireworks withdrawn from sale at Dundee supermarkets after Kirkton riots". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  11. Loudon, Calum (2022-11-01). "Asda bans firework sales in Dundee after night of 'disorder'". STV News. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  12. Bowie, Justin (November 2022). "SNP justice chief faces demand for nationwide fireworks ban after Kirkton riots". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  13. Flett, Amie (3 November 2022). "Two boys, 16, to appear in court following Kirkton riots". The Courier. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  14. Fitzpatrick, Tara (2022-11-04). "Woman and teen charged following Halloween night 'riots'". STV News. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  15. "Riot police called as youths rampage in Dundee". BBC News. 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  16. Robertson, Adam (1 November 2022). "Dundee councillor says anti-social scenes were like something from a 'war-torn nation'". The National. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  17. Harrison, Jody (1 November 2022). "Council leader hits out at 'disgusting' behaviour as youths rampage in Dundee". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  18. FitzPatrick, Joe (1 November 2022). "I'm concerned to see reports and footage of disturbances in Kirkton last night". Twitter. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  19. Suter, Ruth (2022-11-01). "Dundee riots leaves cop injured after yobs launched firebomb attacks". Daily Record. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  20. "Police Scotland condemns disorder in Kirkton area of Dundee - Police Scotland". www.scotland.police.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  21. Burrell, Chloe (2023-10-05). "Kirkton riots feature in new BBC series as host shocked at 'alarming' Dundee deprivation". The Courier. Retrieved 2023-10-05.


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