A police officer was injured when they were struck by a firework when a mob ran amok in a town in Scotland.
Detectives from Police Scotland are investigating the mass disorder which broke out in Old Avenue, Auchinleck, on Saturday (November 25).
Officers descended on the town to tackle a large crowd, with posts on social media showing officers equipped with riot shields.
Some members of the crowd turned hostile towards them, with one officer struck by a firework thrown by one thug.
Det insp Louise White of Police Scotland’s Ayrshire division, said: “An investigation is under way following an incident of large-scale disorder in Auchinleck on Saturday November 25.”
She added: “Officers were called to reports of a crowd gathered in Old Avenue.
“The crowd moved to other addresses in the area and public order officers attended to assist when the crowd refused to disperse when requested.
“Unfortunately, during the incident some of those gathered became extremely hostile towards the police and one officer was struck by a firework and taken to hospital for treatment.”
Det Insp White added police have a duty to ensure the safety of everyone involved in such incidents but the behaviour in Auchinlek was “completely unacceptable”.
Video footage online appears to show a line of officers moving in with the sound of fireworks exploding in the background.
Det Insp White said although the crowd dispersed, Police Scotland’s investigation is ongoing to trace the people responsible to make sure they are dealt with “appropriately”.
She added: “This will include reviewing any available video footage”.
Express.co.uk understands the injured officer has received medical attention and has since been discharged from hospital.
There have been no arrests at the time of publication, though enquiries continue.
