Hundreds of thousands of Arsenal fans poured into the streets of London to celebrate winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, amid grand parades featuring both the men's and women's teams, despite the men's team having recently lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final.
Hundreds of thousands of Arsenal fans flooded the streets of North London to join a historic victory parade, where the men's team proudly lifted the prestigious Premier League trophy and waved closely to fans from an open-top bus that traveled over eight kilometers through Islington and around the Emirates Stadium.
In this parade, Arsenal's women's football team also joined on a separate bus to celebrate with fans after they made history by winning the FIFA Women's Champions Cup in February.
This joyful parade took place just one day after the men's team, under coach Mikel Arteta, suffered disappointment by losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest, Hungary. However, the European setback did not diminish the fans' happiness, as the English top-flight league title was a long-awaited achievement.
Arsenal secured the Premier League title this season after key rivals Manchester City could only draw 1-1 with Bournemouth in the penultimate match, leaving Arsenal with a comfortable four-point lead, clinching the championship without needing to wait for the final game.
This success elevated Arteta's current squad to stand alongside club legends such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Ian Wright. Congratulations poured in from around the world, including from the UK Prime Minister and New York City Mayor Soran Mamdani, who wore an Arsenal jersey while attending Eid al-Adha prayers with the community this week.
The atmosphere along the route was vibrant, with fans reaching out to the buses, club flags waving everywhere, and red smoke flares—Arsenal's signature color—lighting up the scene alongside the booming sounds of firecrackers and vuvuzelas.
Joe, a fan who brought his young son Trey, told the BBC, "We've been waiting for this success over the last four seasons, and finally, we've done it. I'm very excited." Trey added that in the late 2010s, the team struggled and never finished in the top six, but since 2022, they returned to the Champions League, and facing a strong team like PSG in the European final felt surreal.
Meanwhile, Teresa, an older fan who lives just a few blocks from Arsenal's home stadium, said, "I can say I've been a fan since birth. I witnessed the team win the title 22 years ago, but it's been a long time since Arsenal gave us a reason to scream and cheer with such joy."
Another fan revealed he was only nine years old when Arsenal last won the league during their historic "Invincible" season and said, "I have waited 22 years for this day. Today's parade is one of the best days of my life."
The London Metropolitan Police stated that this parade was one of the largest crowd control operations of the year, deploying over 500 officers alongside specialist search teams and drone units, and established dispersal zones to prevent antisocial behavior.
Overall, the crowd was peaceful, but around 9:00 p.m. local time, police reported 16 arrests for offenses including public intoxication, drug-related crimes, sexual assault, and assaults on emergency personnel. Additionally, a stabbing incident occurred on Hornsey Road around 8:30 p.m., with the injured taken to hospital for evaluation.
The London Fire Brigade also issued warnings after a misdirected firework caused a small fire at a hotel, requiring firefighters to rescue about 75 people trapped at height.
Pat Gulborn, Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Incident Command at the London Fire Brigade, said, "Fortunately, the fire caused only minor external damage to the building, but fireworks triggered alarms at multiple locations. Therefore, as fans head home, we urge everyone to avoid using fireworks, especially at train stations, and to keep them away from buildings and all flammable materials."
/ SourceBBC/ AP