Fulham Road, which runs parallel to King’s Road through southwest London, is usually closed to traffic when Chelsea is at home—although recently, due to the pandemic, there has been no need. But on Tuesday night, before Chelsea's game against Brighton, police once again blocked access between Fulham Broadway and Brompton Cemetery, allowing a demonstration of several hundred fans.
There were smoke bombs and chants, placards and banners, a strange sense of carnival in the early evening spring sunshine. But these were not the usual chants. This was a protest. What they lacked in creativity they made up for in gusto.