North London turned into a sea of red this afternoon as more than one million Arsenal supporters flooded the streets to celebrate their Premier League triumph.
The Gunners faithful packed a five-mile route through Islington, with thousands of smoke bombs filling the sky as players paraded the trophy on open-top buses.
It’s the first time in 22 years that Arsenal fans have been able to celebrate being champions of England, and they certainly made the most of it.
The sheer scale of the turnout brought the capital to a standstill, with tube and rail services struggling to cope with the massive crowds.
Arsenal players have returned to London to celebrate their Premier League title win
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REUTERS
The buses set off at 2pm, winding through Holloway Road, past Seven Sisters, along Blackstock Road to Newington Green, then down Essex Road before turning at Angel station onto Upper Street.
The whole celebration lasted two-and-a-half hours as Mikel Arteta’s squad soaked up the adoration from jubilant supporters lining every inch of the route.
Remarkably, the party atmosphere came less than 24 hours after heartbreak in Paris, where PSG snatched victory on penalties in the Champions League final.
But having secured their first league title since 2004 and reached two cup finals, the mood remained firmly celebratory.
The players were clearly overwhelmed by the reception from their devoted fans.
Arsenal’s title parade has seen them go through the streets of north London
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REUTERS
Declan Rice said: “I’m speechless, I’ve lost my voice. I love this team, I love this manager.
“To see the joy we can give people is crazy, but next year we’re coming back for more.”
Captain Martin Odegaard added: “It feels amazing, we’ve been working hard for this and to enjoy it here with our people is amazing.”
Kai Havertz urged everyone to savour the moment: “Let’s just enjoy the moment and be proud of ourselves. We’ve waited a long time for this.”
Mikel Merino reflected on winning what he called “the most important league in the world,” describing it as a perfect season despite the ups and downs.
Getting to the parade proved a challenge for many supporters, with the Mildmay Line on the London Overground experiencing severe delays as fans descended on the area.
Over a million supporters have taken to the streets, causing huge travel chaos in London
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REUTERS
Several stations were either shut completely or operating restricted services throughout the day, including Holloway Road, Drayton Park, and Essex Road, which all remained closed.
Highbury & Islington saw Victoria line trains skip the station entirely, while Canonbury operated exit only.
The Met Police deployed more than 500 officers to Islington alongside specialist search and drone teams to keep the celebrations safe.
Commander Stuart Bell warned that any antisocial behaviour or criminality would not be tolerated.
