West Ham to stage victory parade after Europa Conference League win
Published: 08:49, 08 June 2023
Updated: 11:32, 08 June 2023
A victory parade is planned for Thursday evening after West Ham fans and players celebrated into the early hours following the club’s Europa Conference League win.
Fans and players partied in the streets of Prague on Wednesday night after the Hammers’ victory over Fiorentina sealed their first trophy in more than 40 years.
But some fans clashed with riot police after setting off flares as they celebrated following the game.
A scuffle broke out after officers tried to confiscate a lit flare as fans gathered in the Old Town area of the city and riot police stormed a group after they lit a second flare, with fans responding by pelting the officers with bottles and missiles.
Earlier on Wednesday, Czech police said they had detained at least 16 Italian fans after they attacked West Ham supporters outside a bar, with videos shared on social media showing chairs and fireworks being thrown.
There was also controversy during the match as Cristiano Biraghi of Fiorentina was seen bleeding from the back of the head after he appeared to have been hit by an object thrown from a West Ham section of the stadium.
Shortly before the end of the match, the English club put out a statement condemning the behaviour of a “small number of individuals”, adding: “These actions have no place in football, and do not in any way represent the values of our football club and the overwhelming majority of our supporters, who have behaved impeccably in Prague this week and throughout our last two seasons in European competition.”
The club said they would work with police to review the incident and take action against offenders, including implementing lifetime bans.
Further celebrations are planned for Thursday evening as the playing squad and coaching staff will parade the club’s first major trophy since 1980 on an open-top bus through the streets of east London.
The parade will leave the Hammers’ old home at Upton Park at 7pm and travel to a reception at Stratford Town Hall at about 8pm.
It will start at the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, adjacent to the Boleyn Pub and The Champions Statue, before proceeding west along Barking Road, turn right on to Greengate Street, and continue along the A112 past Plaistow Park, Plaistow Station and Stratford Park, before ending its journey on West Ham Lane, outside the Old Town Hall in Stratford.
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