A young Arsenal fan beamed with excitement as he joined hundreds of thousands of supporters for the open-top bus parade celebrating the club's Premier League title. An estimated half-a-million fans lined the streets of North London on Sunday afternoon (May 31), with some hanging out of windows and others climbing trees, roofs, and traffic lights to get the best views.
Family celebration after 22-year wait
Elam, a young Arsenal supporter, described the atmosphere as "very exciting, the vibe is amazing." When asked how he reacted to Arsenal winning the league, he said: "I was very happy. I was in bed and my dad came up and told me the news." His father, Amir, said it was "amazing" to share the experience with his son. "I was a fan right when the 'Invincibles' won. We hadn't won since and now we're doing the celebrations together," he added.
Fans express their devotion
Another fan, Jay, 34, stood outside his local Lidl supermarket and declared Arsenal was in his "DNA." He said: "I was born up the road from here, so Arsenal isn't just the football team I support, it's my local team. The last time we won I was 12, so the first time to have as an adult is special." A supporter who traveled from Wolverhampton described the parade as "euphoric."
Red smoke billowed as hundreds of flares were set off, and chants of "Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal" rang through the streets of Islington near the Emirates Stadium. The owners of a cafe on Holloway Road said the parade was "almost surreal." Seb Olid, part owner of Coffee Zee, was in the area when Arsenal last won the league in 2004 and said it was "nothing like" the bus parade on Sunday. "It's the most insane I have ever seen it," he said. All staff wore Arsenal kits, and red and white bunting decorated the cafe.
