English Premier League football club West Ham United has urged supporters to turn up early tomorrow (Wednesday) for the team's EFL Cup game against Chelsea to allow for heightened security measures at London Stadium.
No alcohol will be sold pre-match from mobile bars outside the stadium, but bars will be open as normal inside the ground. All bottled alcoholic beverages must be poured into plastic cups, while there will be no alcohol at all sold after the game.
Trouble has broken out more than once at London Stadium already this season and extra measures are being taken to ensure tomorrow’s game against London rival Chelsea passes without incident. Chelsea has sold its allocation of 5,200 tickets for the game.
Upon entering the stadium, all supporters will be subjected to an enhanced body search. The security measures have been agreed by all key stakeholders including the club, London Stadium, London Stadium 185 and E20 Stadium LLP.
Metropolitan Police officers will be on duty in the stadium’s vicinity, with a temporary ‘Airwave’ radio communications system having been installed. The Metropolitan Police have a system in place whereby officers can be deployed into the stadium should any trouble arise.
The permanent communications system that allows police officers to operate within the stadium is not expected to be in place until February.
West Ham pointed out that only four games at the club’s old Upton Park ground required a police presence last season.
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