England vs Sweden: Fans invade Ikea and jump on beds, dance on buses and block roads amid wild celebration after historic World Cup win
Supporters up and down country have flocked onto streets, with some celebrations of quarter-final victory getting 'out of hand'
The nation has erupted with wild celebrations after England’s victory over Sweden in the team’s first quarter-final victory for nearly 30 years.
In Stratford, London, fans have been captured on film invading the local branch of Swedish furniture store Ikea and jumping on the beds.
Another video showed a security guard entering the shop to put a stop to the celebrations.
Authorities issued warnings as fans in the capital and across the country flocked onto the streets, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Elsewhere, elated supporters from Brighton to Gibraltar, many wearing England shirts or none at all, danced and sprayed beer into the air to celebrate the historic win.
Chants of “it’s coming home” broke out as England’s place in the semi-finals was secured, with the game set to take place in Moscow on Wednesday night.
Fans up and down the country had gathered at big screens and pub gardens to watch the event, basking in the ongoing heatwave.
Transport for London (TfL) reported traffic blockages in Lewisham and Southwark as fans poured onto the streets following the match.
TfL said: “A2 Lewisham Way at the junction of New Cross Road – there are large crowd numbers in the carriageway.”
Wild celebrations after England make semi-final
Show all 12One reveller made his way onto a double-decker bus draped in an enormous England flag, according to the Birmingham Mail.
Similar scenes were breaking out in Manchester, with singing fans making their way down Oldham Street while waving shirts in the air.
Politicians of all stripes expressed their support for the victorious England team, with both Prince William and Boris Johnson tweeting that football is “coming home”.
The general jubilation was marred by a handful of fans taking their celebrations a little too far. Video footage on Twitter showed one fan at Clapham Junction taking a leap from a bus onto the roof of a shelter, which subsequently collapsed under his weight.
The Metropolitan Police issued a warning to “please be mindful of vehicles on the roads which have not been cordoned off. Crowds can easily cause traffic/congestion and we want to ensure vehicles get through safely and public transport can continue running”.
The Teeside Gazette reported that celebrations had got “out of hand” in Middlesbrough as fans surrounded and slapped a police car as yet another fan climbed on top of a bus.
Previously, local police had issued a statement urging people to enjoy the match responsibly.
“Expect firm, fair and friendly policing. We are not out to spoil your fun but we will not tolerate criminal behaviour,” they said.
Gareth Southgate’s side will now have to face Croatia, and if all goes according to plan they will ultimately take on either Belgium or France in the final.
The last time England won a World Cup quarter-final was against Cameroon in Naples in 1990, and since then they have lost two.
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