Melbourne’s Lygon St has erupted with flares (and Italians) on Monday morning after Italy won the Euro 2021 final against England.
Italy officially took the gong at 7:55am, local time, but punters had already been lighting up the main drag through the Italian suburb of Carlton since the buttcrack of dawn.
The Age reports that spectators guzzled coffee all morning, and that parking was impossible to find for many blocks.
Police arrived at the scene to control the crowds but, despite reports, firefighters didn’t show up to put out the flares.
Thousands of people celebrated for hours, late into the morning. The footage speaks for itself:
About as close as you can get to Europe at the moment. Lygon Street Melbourne, shortly after Italy scored. @SkyNewsAust pic.twitter.com/Qv2t7F1Vhf
— Patrick Murrell (@pamurrell) July 11, 2021
Lygon st this morning 🥵🥵 pic.twitter.com/jI1T69l8rB
— …. (@zeemilann) July 11, 2021
People letting off flares on Lygon Street right now after Italy won #EURO2020 @theage pic.twitter.com/gKpdZWm8Gr
— Cassie Morgan (@cassieemorgan) July 11, 2021
Even the ABC’s live cross got caught up in all the ruckus.
Reporter Stephanie Ferrier described what went down on Lygon St the moment Italy won.
“It was insane, everybody went absolutely crazy,” she said.
“The flares were going off as soon as it happened, in the middle of the crowds.
“I don’t know how people haven’t actually been hurt, but clearly people are used to this kind of thing over here.”
Flares, flags and celerbations!
“This is just absolute madness at what we call here the Piazza Italia here!”@FerrierSteph is among Italy fans at Lygon St in Melbourne as they bask in their first European championship win over 30 years. pic.twitter.com/QhX1WFfjDc
— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) July 11, 2021
By around 9:30am, fans had cleared off the road but continued to celebrate on the footpaths, as well as in Cartlon’s Piazza Italia.
Nature is healing, Italians are setting off flares. It’s a beautiful sight.
Mamma – and I cannot stress this enough – mia.