West Ham fans clash with Czech riot police after setting off flares

West Ham fans clashed with riot police in Prague after setting off flares as they celebrated winning the Europa Conference League on Wednesday night.

Fans poured on to the streets of the Czech capital after West Ham’s victory over Fiorentina, with many already in the city centre after thousands travelled from the UK without tickets.

A scuffle broke out after police officers tried to confiscate a lit flare as fans gathered in the city’s Old Town area. Riot police stormed a group after they lit a second flare, with fans responding by pelting the officers with bottles and missiles.

Earlier Czech police said they had detained 16 Italian fans after an attack on West Ham supporters outside a bar, with videos on social media showing chairs and fireworks being thrown. One witness said Fiorentina fans were armed with “chains and belt buckles”.

Celebrations were initially good-natured after the match, with revellers hugging and kissing and dancing on tables in bars. There was controversy during the match when 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 the West Ham stand.

West Ham condemned the behaviour of a “small number of individuals” and said they would work with police to review the incident and take action against offenders, including implementing lifetime bans.