Bonfire Night
Dear Parent/Guardian 5th November 2025
Ahead of Bonfire Night tonight, and planned celebrations at the weekend, we're writing to remind parents and guardians of the importance of keeping children safe around fireworks and in public areas.
While organised and safe bonfire events can be fun for the whole family, we have sadly seen unacceptable scenes with fireworks in Birmingham city centre recently.
Pockets of disorder involving young people saw several fireworks released in a dangerous manner, as members of the public and our officers faced attack.
These incidents are currently subject to ongoing police investigations, and a number of individuals were arrested.
Our message to you is firstly - we are not tolerating this appalling action
We are doing everything in our power to keep the city safe, including for young people attending school and college here. We have been very clear that anyone who is involved in this kind of behaviour faces serious consequences, and risks being arrested.
In addition to our existing powers, a Section 60 order will be in place in Birmingham in response to this disorder. The powers from this allow us to stop and search people without the need to have reasonable grounds. This power is exercised to safeguard the community from this dangerous behaviour.
As always, our focus is on keeping everyone safe, which is why we are asking parents and guardians to:
- Speak to your children about the dangers of handling and misusing fireworks
- Know where your children are, and who they are with, especially during the darker evenings
- Encourage them to attend organised firework displays rather than unsupervised gatherings
- Report any concerns about antisocial behaviour and firework safety directly to us
Reporting information to us is vital, and as well as parents and guardians, we're asking schools and colleges, and the wider community to share their concerns with us — as your support helps us keep communities safe.
We will continue working with our partners across the city and the wider West Midlands as we work through this intelligence and act accordingly.
You can read more safety advice on our website, where you can also find details of how to share information with us — including how to do so anonymously.
Schools Liaison Team
West Midlands Police