Bonfire Night descends into violence across UK despite lockdown

Youths have gathered for Bonfire Night and firework displays despite the second coronavirus lockdown cancelling traditional big public events. Bonfire Night celebrations are pictured underway in Liverpool despite gatherings being banned under the new Covid lockdown Yobs pelted police and firefighters with bottles after an illegal rave was broken up early in the night in Greenock, Scotland Four people tend to a small bonfire in Ouston, Durham County, on a cold night in the north of England on Thursday Shocking footage shows two groups of youths shooting fireworks at each other on a street in Stamford Hill, in north London. A person is seen in silhouette in front of a bonfire, in Ouston, Durham County, in the north of England on a cold November night A firework explodes above the empty High Street in Lewes in East Sussex, which would normally be packed with bonfire societies parading through the town, after the main bonfire night parades were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and following the start of a four week national lockdown for England ‹ Slide me › Left: last year - Participants parading through the town of Lewes in East Sussex. A young member of the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society in East Sussex, marks bonfire night with a sparkler in the empty High Street Members of the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society in East Sussex, mark bonfire night with a sparkler in the empty High Street He said the Government negotiations last month around Greater Manchester's earlier Tier 3 restrictions, and Wales's firebreak lockdown rules, had played a part. A person is seen in silhouette in front of a bonfire, in Ouston, Durham County However, independent smaller-scale retailers, such as those who run pop-up shops just for the fireworks sales period which runs from October 15 to November 10, as well as selected dates around New Year, Diwali and Chinese New Year, were now suffering as they were deemed non-essential under the new lockdown guidance.