More than 200 police officers in Northern Ireland were assaulted over the Christmas period, according to new figures released as part of a seasonal policing update. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 228 attacks on officers were recorded between 1 and 31 December 2025, down from 274 in December 2024.
The figures form part of “Operation Season’s Greetings,” the force’s annual festive deployment across town centres, shopping districts and nightlife zones. While assaults fell year on year, senior officers described the level of violence as unacceptable and highlighted mixed trends in retail crime and anti-social behaviour for December 2025.
December 2025 figures at a glance
- Assaults on officers: 228 (down from 274 in December 2024).
- Shoplifting offences: 662 (up 1.7% on December 2024).
- Reports of anti-social behaviour: 2,954 (down 4.4% on December 2024).
Seasonal policing footprint across Northern Ireland
Running from late November to early January, the operation deployed a highly visible policing presence across all districts, aligned with the service’s statutory duty to prevent crime and protect life under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. Patrols focused on locations with increased festive footfall and key transport hubs, when alcohol‑related offending and acquisitive crime have historically spiked.
Key deployment sites included:
- Belfast Christmas Market
- Victoria Square (Belfast)
- The Boulevard, Banbridge
- The Junction, Antrim
- Rail and other transport hubs across Northern Ireland
According to the force, officers patrolled 68 targeted areas on more than 2,100 occasions, drawing support from neighbourhood, response and specialist units. The operation combined uniformed and plain‑clothed patrols, with targeted enforcement around road safety, retail crime, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls. Police also reiterated advice to the public to plan nights out in advance, look after friends and use licensed transport, mirroring the safety messaging seen throughout this year’s Operation Season’s Greetings campaign.[1]
Police response: reduction welcomed, violence condemned
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson, who led the operation, said officers continued to face violence while carrying out routine duties, from responding to domestic incidents to managing busy city‑centre nightlife zones.
“Sadly, we continue to see unacceptable levels of violence directed towards our people,” Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Ryan Henderson said.
“While we welcome any reduction, even one assault on an officer or staff member is one too many.
“These assaults included officers being kicked, punched, spat on and subjected to threatening or abusive behaviour while simply doing their jobs.
“In a number of cases, officers sustained minor injuries such as cuts and bruising, while others required medical treatment.”
Henderson described the approach as “community‑focused policing: visibility, prevention and partnership,” adding that officers and staff “worked tirelessly to ensure people could enjoy the festive season safely.” He said the project “helped prevent harm, offered reassurance, and demonstrated our ongoing commitment to tackling violence against women and girls,” noting that specialist teams were deployed in nightlife areas as part of a broader safeguarding and evidence‑gathering effort.
Retailers cite partnership with police
The operation’s retail focus drew support from business representatives, who have repeatedly raised concerns about the financial and staff‑safety impact of shoplifting and abuse. Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said the group was “pleased to work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on this successful operation” and called it “a good example of partnership between business and the police to tackle a challenge, particularly at such a critical time of the year for the retail sector.”
Senior officers said that collaboration with retailers, local councils and transport operators would be evaluated in the coming weeks to inform future festive and city‑centre policing plans. The figures cover 1-31 December 2025 and were released as part of the Operation Season’s Greetings update, which ran from late November to early January.
