Football fans in pub fight after West Ham’s victory over Arsenal
The fight took place in a pub near the Emirates Stadium shortly after Arsenal vs West Ham finished - Credit: Empics Sports Photography Ltd.
A fight broke out between football fans at a pub shortly after West Ham’s season opener with Arsenal.
Supporters were involved in a fight at the White Swan pub in Upper Street, Islington, on Sunday evening.
Earlier that day, the Hammers had beaten their London rivals 2-0 at the nearby Emirates Stadium.
A video posted online shows missiles including chairs thrown from the pub, owned by JD Wetherspoon.
Alessia Matteoli was passing by the pub when the fight broke out.
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She said: “I was walking by and bottles started to be thrown.
“There was probably about 20 of them, they all looked about 30 plus.
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“They weren’t wearing football shirts but there were chants, they were chanting over each other.”
Some of the chants contained expletives and were directed at opposition fans.
Alessia, who lives in Haringay, added: “The police were really good, they came within five or ten minutes.
“The pub was really smashed up, though. Chairs were flying.”
The 31-year-old said that she initially hadn’t realised the match had been on and that it took her a while to make the connection.
“I follow Italian football, and I filmed it ironically because Italian football has a bad reputation,” she said.
“There were a few men filming it too, but I was the only one to get pushed to stop filming it.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police in Islington were called to a pub in Upper Street, Islington at approximately 19:10hrs on Sunday, 9 August following reports of a large fight between rival football fans.
“Officers attended and those involved in the disturbance dispersed. There were no reports of any serious injuries.”
Eyewitness accounts on Twitter claim fans from West Ham and Arsenal were involved, but a West Ham spokesman said that there was no evidence to show Hammers fans were among those brawling.
Enquiries into the circumstances behind the fight are underway.
No arrests have been made.
