Merseyside Police thank the majority who celebrated Bonfire Night safely

We can confirm the total number of calls received by Merseyside Police yesterday, Thursday, 5th November, increased by 3.3% compared to the same period last year.

A total of 1,493 were received during the policing operation between 2pm and 11pm, compared with 1,445 in 2019.

Reports of anti-social behaviour increased, with calls relating to coronavirus included in statistics this year, while criminal damage and arson reports were down on last year.

Chief Inspector Peter Clark said: "Although Halloween and Bonfire Night have both been considerably different this year, I am pleased to say that the overwhelming majority of our communities abided by the regulations and enjoyed themselves safely and responsibly.

“Each year this is a very busy period which requires a significant amount of planning and I would like to thank all officers, staff and partner agencies for their hard work and dedication in keeping our communities safe.

“Despite the cooperation of most, we did see a slight increase in calls last night compared with Bonfire Night last year, and have seen a number of reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. Enquiries are ongoing to ensure those involved are dealt with and anyone with information on ASB or criminal damage is asked to get in touch. Last night also saw fire crews come under attack which is simply unacceptable. In Bentick Street, Birkenhead, a member of the prevention team was hit with a brick causing a facial injury, and we would ask anyone with information on this incident to come forward so we can take action.

“We also issued 13 fixed penalty notices and arrested three people after crowds gathered to protest in the city centre last night. The Covid-19 regulations are in place for a reason, and although we will always engage with individuals in the first instance, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action where the health and safety of others is at risk.

“As we continue in another national lockdown during the upcoming weeks, I would like to thank our communities for the support shown so far and encourage everyone to continue to follow lockdown regulations, to ensure the safety of ourselves and others, and allow us to spend time with our loved ones again soon.”

Anyone with information on anti-social or criminal behaviour is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 or @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111.